2013 Melges 32 North American Summer Racing Season Preview
by International Melges 32 Class Association 25 May 2013 08:40 NZST
On the heels of a very successful OtterBox® Virgin Island Sailing Series and halfway through the European Audi Sailing Series, the North American Melges 32 Fleet is thrilled to usher in the Summer of 2013 and launch of the Great Lakes Series (GLS). The GLS will consist of three events (two sanctioned, one non-sanctioned) spanning from Holland to Harbor Springs, Michigan, two of the most beautiful places to be racing in the Midwest during the hot months.
The first event taking place is the Great Lakes Championship (GLC), hosted by the Macatawa Bay Yacht Club (MBYC) in scenic Holland, Michigan. The GLC will kick things off in grand style with the very best racing on Lake Michigan, paired perfectly with sensational social events. If you've never been to Holland this is your chance to experience a truly first-class yacht racing venue first-hand. The Notice of Race (NOR) and Online Registration is now available for the Great Lakes Championship.
The North American Championship (NAC) is the highlight event of the season in the USA happening August 2-4. Hosted by the Little Traverse Yacht Club (LTYC), three days of great racing can be expected on Little Traverse Bay under the carefully guided hand of PRO Bruce Golison and team. On the prior weekend, LTYC's famous Ugotta Regatta takes place and is deemed the official pre-NAC warm-up. This event is well known throughout the country for big attendance and a legendary regatta bash second-to-none at the Irish Boat Shop. All Melges 32 teams planning to attend the NAC are strongly encouraged to register and race this non-sanctioned event.
The Melges 32 Class kindly extends an invitation to every team ready to race in the Midwest and most certainly at the pinnacle event of the year, the 2013 Melges 32 World Championship on September 18-22, hosted by Yacht Club Porto Rotondo in coordination with Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, B.Plan Sports & Events | BPSE and Melges Europe. The Notice of Race will be issued soon.
Additional non-sanctioned Summer events will be happening in Newport including the NYYC Annual Regatta on June 14-16 and the Newport Regatta on July 12-14.
The final event of the year in the USA will be the Melges 32 U.S. National Championship, held in conjunction with the Gold Cup Regatta, hosted by the phenomenal Lauderdale Yacht Club on November 15-17.