Melges wins 2020 E Scow Nationals

Harry Melges IV and his crew of Kyle Navin, Finn Rowe, and Ripley Shelly captured the 2020 E Scow National Championship held June 11-13, 2021 in Beach Haven, NJ. Fifty-six teams competed in the 2020 title event which was originally scheduled for September 2020 but was postponed due the pandemic.

Melges and his I-1 team quickly set the tone for the regatta by winning the first race sailed under unseasonably cool gray skies with a blustery northeast wind in the 17-20 mph range. The first day of racing was shortened for the winning team when they received a black flag disqualification in the second and final race of the day.

On day two, Melges and crew reaffirmed the dominance by posting a 1-3-1 in conditions similar to, but a bit less breezy than, day one. On day three, competitors were towed to the racecourse to await the arrival of the sea breeze which eventually filled in to allow for two more races. The winning I-1 team’s finishes of 15 and 8 were enough to seal the victory in the seven race series.

Melges also took home the Youth Trophy, awarded to the highest finishing boat skippered by a youth, as well as the National Ranking trophy for 2020.

Finishing second was Sam Rogers and his crew of Chrisy Hughes, Tony Jewett, and Finn Burdick which finished a one point behind. Third place was captured by Jack Brown who also won the Rookie Skipper award as the highest placing skipper sailing in their first E Scow Nationals. The incumbent 2019 National champion, Brian Porter, finished 4th and was awarded the top master trophy. John Brown and his “Blind Squirrel” crew finished 5th.

Kelly McGlynn of the host Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club was awarded the trophy as Top Female Skipper.

With four boats in the top 15, Lake Geneva Yacht Club took home the Torch Lake Team Championship trophy.

Race details – Results – Facebook