Party time at Melges 24 US Nationals
Published on October 4th, 2023
The 2023 Melges 24 U.S. National Championship celebrates its 30th anniversary on October 6-8 in Fontana, WI. Twenty-nine entrants, 14 of which have declared as Corinthian teams, have come from across the USA and Canada for the 12-race series on Lake Geneva where the Melges 24 sailed for the very first time back in 1993.
“This year we have been celebrating the 30th anniversary of the best sportboat—the Melges 24,” says U.S. Melges 24 Class President and owner of Decorum, Megan Ratliff. “The Melges 24 has been attracting the best sailors to the racecourse for the past three decades, and it’s only fitting to host the National Championship on Lake Geneva, where it all began— you can’t get much better than that!”
The line-up of competitors is stellar with defending, nine-time National Champ Brian Porter on Full Throttle, two-time National Champ Bora Gulari on Knocky Knocky, Eddie Cox on Zenda Express, and 2023 North American Champion Richard Reid sailing Zingara.
Among the Corinthians, Mike Dow racing Flying Toaster, Tom Freytag’s Wicked Feet, Brent McKenzie’s Ex-Kahn, Fred Rozelle’s Rustler, John Shockey’s Wombmates Racing and Lake Geneva Yacht Club Commodore Chuck Lamphere’s Entente are perceived frontrunners.