Frostbiting, Miami Style

When the Melges 20 first emerged as a top level one-design boat in 2009, it quickly called Coconut Grove and Biscayne Bay its winter home for its great mix of perfect sailing conditions and family friendly surroundings.

Eight years later, the Melges 20s are returning for the 2016/2017 Winter Series, and Biscayne Bay will once again serve as the perfect battle ground for the first Winter Series event as the final stop on the 2016 World Series Standings.

Headlining the veteran teams, Drew Friedes and his Pacific Yankee team look to continue their impressive 2016 season with a win in December, while keeping their long term world championship goals on the horizon, “After finishing second in the Worlds in Italy we have some unfinished business. This is the beginning of our preparation for the 2017 World Championship taking place in Newport, Rhode Island in October. We hope to improve during each event leading up to the Worlds, so that we can hopefully, finally beat a very talented Pinta team along with a very deep fleet. Our goal is always to learn and to improve at each event and it starts here in Miami.”

A stiff northerly is forecasted when racing begins today for Miami Winter Series Event #1.

Event details – Facebook

Sanctioned events in North America include:
Miami Winter Series Event #1 – December 9-11, 2016
Miami Winter Series Event #2 – Febraury 3-5, 2017
Miami Winter Series Event #3 – March 3-5, 2017
Melges USA Training Regatta – Newport, RI – May 5-7, 2017 (non-sanctioned)
Sail Newport Regatta – Newport, RI – July 7-9, 2017
US Nationals – Newport, RI – August 17-19, 2017
World Championship – Newport, RI – October 2-7, 2017

Source: Melges 20