Melges IC37 at the NYYC Annual Regatta Overall: Unforgettable weekend for the class
by Melges IC37 Class 17 Jun 2019 05:38 BST
14-16 June 2019
The Melges IC37 Class experience was showcased in full at the New York Yacht Club 165th Annual Regatta throughout all three days of nearly perfect conditions, great competition, and unrivaled camaraderie for the Melges IC37 fleet.
17 Melges IC37 teams completed the Around-the-Island Race and weekend series races in a variety of conditions, providing sailors the optimal platform to put their preparation, skills, and teamwork to the test — a fun challenge that was welcomed by this new fleet.
Ultimately the Members Only Syndicate led by Jay Cross, Hannah Swett, and Ben Kinney staked their claim on the New York Yacht Club 165th Annual Regatta title, narrowly beating Double Jointed who dominated most of the weekend series.
Team Double Jointed finished the regatta strong, winning the day with an impressive 4 - 2 - 2 scoreline. Co-Skipper Ray Wulff noted the key to their consistency and success is their crew.
"Full credit to our team! It's a lot of learning with this new boat, and we've got a tremendous group who's open-minded. Because of that, we're learning every single race, every single day. The great thing is that we're sharing a lot with the other teams, and everybody is getting better. It's fantastic! Also, I sail with Andy Fisher and he's disabled, he has one arm. We have a bar so that he can tack. What that means is that Andy can drive in a straight line then he can cross the boat with this bar. It worked out so much better, and Andy is so much more excited about the boat. The Class has been so amazing to allow us to add it to the boat. It's been awesome."
Regatta champions Members Only youth sailor Owen Bischoff shared his favorite part of racing this weekend was "either doing the runners or going side to side [in the boat]. It's a big change from Optis and dinghies. Sailing with my dad was interesting... to say the least but it was fun, especially on Father's Day."
The Melges IC37 Class sailors gathered for the final social event of the regatta this evening on the lawn at the New York Yacht Club for the Awards Ceremony. Together the fleet celebrated an unforgettable weekend on the water that set the precedent for the Class's future events.
For results and event information, visit nyyc.org/165-annual-regatta