Melges 32 Nationals based at Newport Shipyard

Congratulations to 2012 Melges 32 U.S. National Champion Jason Carroll (New York, NY) and the Argo Team comprised of tactician Cameron Appleton and crew members Peter Crawford, Scott Norris, Andy Koch, Charles Swanson and Lindsay Bartel. With this win, Carroll becomes the first owner to hold the coveted U.S. National Championship title for a second consecutive time. "This was not easy. It was light and the conditions were tricky. Cameron was scratching his head all three days," Carroll commented just before the awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon. "It was not until the very last race, that we finally got ahead."

"We are very happy to be in Newport now and will be doing a lot of sailing here in August, especially with Pre-Worlds and Worlds coming up in September," says Carroll. "We have a lot of people on the boat that know the area and the waters well, so with this we feel pretty good. Now, we just have to keep our nose to the grindstone, continue to work very hard and hopefully, we can come up with a nice result at Worlds."

Despite the light air conditions and overcast skies, it was an exciting day of yacht racing in Newport. The day commenced with second-runner up Ryan DeVos (Macatawa Bay, MI) on Volpe leading the overalls, tied with Steve Howe (San Diego, CA) on Warpath in points. Carroll was seated third just a shy three points behind.

Spectators were firmly poised on the edge of their seats for the last two races of the eight-part series. Carroll came on strong early, taking the lead at the top mark chased by John Kilroy's (Los Angeles, CA) Samba Pa Ti. Kilroy remained strong overtaking the lead position about a hundred yards from the finish line. Carroll slipped to finish second, Pieter Taselaar (Scarsdale, NY) on Bliksem came third, Lanfranco Cirillo’s (Roncadelle, Brescia, Italy) Fantastica was fourth, while DeVos remained close finishing fifth.

Going into the final race, teams were on edge. At this stage, DeVos was still leading the event yet tied in points with Carroll in second, Howe third. The first start resulted in a general recall, with PRO Bruce Golison announcing an I-Flag start for the next warning. Alec Cutler's (Pembroke, Bermuda) Hedgehog battled into the mark, fighting off Mark Plaxton's (Tortola, BVI) INTAC and Phil Lotz's (Newport, RI) Arethusa. As the race progressed, Plaxton eventually took the lead with Cutler following. At the final weather mark, with an awesome F-16 fighter jet giving the fleet a little fly-by action (afterburners and all), INTAC proceeded to extend their lead for the win, leaving Cutler in second. Taselaar pulled up to finish third just ahead of Carroll in fourth. DeVos finished tenth, while Howe scored a disappointing eighteenth.

The 2012 Melges 32 U.S. National Championship, hosted by Sail Newport can easily be categorized as one of the greatest Nationals ever. By far it delivered some of the most competitive, performance yacht racing the fleet has ever seen. With the World Championship, hosted by the New York Yacht Club on September 20-29, surely many of the rivalries won and lost at this event will carry over.

A VERY SPECIAL THANKS
The International Melges 32 Class Association would like to thank PRO Bruce Golison and his entire racing support team that includes his wife Margo, Bruce Bingham, Taran Teague and scorer Steve Washburn; and to Sail Newport — in particular Brad Read and Anderson Reggio, their staff and most especially their volunteers who so generously gave their time and energy to make this event the very best. The IM32CA wishes to also thank and recognize the great event support supplied by the Newport Shipyard, supporting sponsor Sentient Jet for an amazing Friday afternoon cocktail party, to the INTAC Team and all their sponsors from the BVI and UVI for the Saturday afternoon 2013 Virgin Islands Sailing Series Party. And last, but certainly not least, many gracious thanks to Melges USA for their outstanding customer service and product support while on site, pre- and post-event.

MELGES MEDIA WITH REACH
Full race reports, interviews and photo galleries are available at the official website of the International Melges 32 Class Association (IM32CA). Racing updates from the course were posted online at the Official Melges 32 Blog, Facebook and Twitter. Stay in touch by subscribing to the IM32CA RSS Feed.

For more information, photos & full results, visit: www.melges32.com

23 JULY 2012

Melges 32 U.S. National Championship Full On In Newport

Twenty-five Melges 32 teams are set to race at the 2012 Melges 32 U.S. National Championship on July 27-29, hosted by Sail Newport

The 2012 Melges 32 National Championship will be organized by Sail Newport and headquartered at Newport Shipyard. For more information, visit: www.melges32.com

Newport, RI - USA - The last two major events for the International Melges 32 Class Association (IM32CA) in North America revealed that the young and experienced can prevail in thrilling, competitive conditions, such as the one that the Melges 32 fosters worldwide. The fledging Ryan DeVos on Volpe (Macatawa Bay, MI) with Ed Baird as tactician took top East Coast Championship honors in West Palm Beach, FL. Prior to that, a final-day blow out at the Melges 32 Miami Championship resulted in only two days of racing leaving Alec Cutler's Hedgehog (Pembroke, Bermuda) with Richard Clarke on tactics holding the trophy atop a fleet 26-strong. On July 27-29, 2012, the fleet will rise to the occasion once more in Newport, R.I. to compete for the coveted U.S. National Championship title. Twenty-five teams will assemble for what will be the final event leading up to the 2012 Melges 32 World Championship. Hosted by the New York Yacht Club, the Worlds will take place on September 20-29 where an unprecedented, record-breaking attendance level is expected.

Melges 32 Nationals week (July 23-29) will be packed full with much preparation for the heated competition ahead — measurement, registration, weigh-in, lots of practice sessions and debriefs. The Nationals roster features only about 80 percent of the anticipated World Championship fleet. In addition to DeVos and Cutler, look for great things from defending National Champion Jason Carroll (New York, NY) and his Argo Team. Carroll is fresh off of a big victory in Porto Cervo, Italy at the European Championship in early June, so needless to say, Team Argo is pumped. 2011 Audi Sailing Series Champion, Lanfranco Cirillo (Roncadelle, Brescia, Italy) with tactician Michele Paoletti on Fantastica (currently seated second overall in the 2012 Audi Sailing Series), are the only European entry. Cirillo's efforts are always one of strength and determination as his real sights are set on the Worlds title.

The fleet is laden with the very best in world-class sailing talent. A quick glance down the entry list shows a virtual index of sailing rock stars including match-racing guru Cameron Appleton, Collegiate All-American (1996, 1997, 1998) and America's Cup Sailor Andy Horton, 2011 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Bill Hardesty, multiple world champion and Congressional Cup Winner Chris Larson, reigning Melges 24 U.S. National and World Champion (2002) Harry Melges, as well as former Olympians Charlie Ogletree, Johnny Lovell, and brothers Charlie and Jonathan McKee. The list of headliners goes on to also include Robbie Naismith, Roscoe Halcrow, Brad Read, John Mollicone, Tom Burnham, Peter Holmberg, Steve Hunt, Tony Rey, Jeff Madrigali and Morgan Larson, just to name a few.

The 2012 Melges 32 U.S. National Championship, hosted by Sail Newport and headquartered at the Newport Shipyard, will present three great days of competition and fantastic apres racing social events. On Wednesday, July 25, registration will commence, then conclude on Thursday with a Skipper's Meeting in the afternoon. U.S. Nationals Supporting Sponsor Sentient Jet will host an incredible racing cocktail and hor d'oeuvres party on Friday. On Saturday, the fleet will celebrate 2013 early with a Virgin Islands Sailing Series party. A brief presentation will be made about the upcoming 2013 series along with a Q&A session with food, beer and music.

MELGES 32 NATIONALS WELCOMES SENTIENT JET AS SUPPORTING SPONSOR
The 2012 Melges 32 U.S. National Championship is pleased to welcome Sentient Jet as a supporting sponsor. As one of the leading private aviation companies in the country, Sentient Jet looks forward to hosting the fleet with a first day, apres racing cocktail and hor d'oeuvres party at the Newport Shipyard. To find out more about Sentient Jet and their offerings, visit their website at www.sentient.com.

MELGES MEDIA WITH REACH
Full race reports, interviews and photo galleries will be posted each day at the official website of the International Melges 32 Class Association (IM32CA). Racing updates from the course will be posted online at the Official Melges 32 Blog, Facebook and Twitter. If you are unable to attend the 2012 Melges 32 U.S. National Championship, stay in touch by subscribing to the IM32CA RSS Feed.

U.S. National Championship Entry List (Owner/Tactician)
1.) Phil Lotz/Brad Read, Arethusa
2.) Jason Carroll/Cameron Appleton, Argo
3.) Pieter Taselaar/Nick Thompson, Bliksem
4.) Michael Dominguez/Andy Horton, Bronco
5.) Joel Ronning/Bill Hardesty, Catapult
6.) Malcolm Gefter/John Mollicone, Celeritas
7.) Ed Tillinghast/Allan Terhune, Jr., Dark N' Stormy
8.) Dalton DeVos/Jonathan McKee, Delta
9.) Makoto Uematsu/Tony Rey, Esmeralda
10.) Lanfranco Cirillo/Michele Paoletti, Fantastica
11.) William Douglass/Chris Larson, Goombay Smash
12.) Alec Cutler/Tom Burnham, Hedgehog
13.) Mark Plaxton/Peter Holmberg, INTAC
14.) Alex Jackson/Charlie McKee, Leenabarca
15.) Steve Rhyne/Johnny Lovell, Mojo
16.) Bill Whiston/Karl Kleinschrodt, New Wave
17.) John Taylor/Jeff Madrigali, Ninkasi
18.) Benjamin Schwartz/Mike Buckley, Pisces
19.) John Kilroy/Jeremy Wilmot, Samba Pa Ti
20.) Geoff Pierini, Sicktrix32
21.) Keisuke Suzuki/Jesper Radich, Swing
22.) Ryan DeVos/Ed Baird, Volpe
23.) Steve Howe/Morgan Larson, Warpath
24.) Tyler Davidson/Peter Davidson, Wicked One
25.) Alexis Michas/Brian Ledbetter, Zetiana
View The Full Crew List

ABOUT THE SPONSORS
The Melges 32 Class is appreciative of the support from the following 2012 U.S. National Championship sponsors:

MELGES USA
Melges Performance Sailboats, the builder of the Melges 32, is the world leader in performance, one design racing. For more than 60 years, Melges has delivered superior-built Scows, Sportboats and Skiffs across the country and around the world. Melges has designed, manufactured and provided continuous customer service and product support unlike anyone else. Now ask yourself, do you believe in speed? Could it be possible to have the luxury of simple sailing that is fun and fast? The answer is without reservation — yes. Signed, sealed, endorsed and delivered by the best, for the best. For more information about Melges, visit their website at melges.com.

SENTIENT JET
Sentient Jet is one of the leading private aviation companies in the country. Sentient’s Jet Card and 25-Hour Jet Card offer industry-leading value for private jet travel and protection from the risk of depreciating assets associated with fractional jet ownership.

Sentient has established a strong reputation for outstanding service and a commitment to leading safety programs, guided by the industry’s first and only Independent Safety Advisory Board. Sentient’s extensive network of certified operators ensures that clients will always have access to executive aircraft that meet Sentient’s rigorous standards for safety and quality. For on-demand, individual itineraries, the company also offers the Sentient Jet Charter program as well as the online private jet charter marketplace, www.privatejets.com.

2013 VIRGIN ISLANDS SAILING SERIES
The IM32CA and Team INTAC cordially invite Melges 32s worldwide to participate in the 2013 Virgin Islands Sailing Series (VISS). This exciting, all-new Caribbean winter/spring racing series is designed to provide a high level of sailing venue diversity and competition. The Series consists of three sanctioned events in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands — February 21-24, March 22-24, April 26-28, and one unsanctioned event on March 29-31. Special thanks to the following 2013 VISS Party sponsors: British Virgin Islands Tourism Board, U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, The Moorings/TUI Marine, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS), International Rolex Regatta 2013, BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival and INTAC Global Investments.

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For media photos (web and/or high resolution) or class specific information about the Melges 32 at the 2012 U.S. National Championship, please contact:

Joy Dunigan
International Melges 32 Class Press Officer
Mobile: +1 (912) 398-5776
Skype: joysavannah

Melges 32 Nationals based at Newport Shipyard

The 2012 Melges 32 National Championship will be organized by Sail Newport and headquartered at Newport Shipyard. For more information, visit: www.melges32.com

Wednesday, July 25
1400 - 1730 - Registration and Weigh-in at Newport Shipyard

Thursday, July 26
0900 - 1700 - Registration and Weigh-in at Newport Shipyard
1300 - Practice Race / Starts (See Event Website & Notice Board for location)
1730 - Skippers Meeting at Newport Shipyard
1630 - 1730 - Hoists at Sail Newport are not available during this time*

Friday, July 27
0830 - 0930 - Crew Substitution Weigh-in
1100 - Initial Warning Signal (3 Races Scheduled)
After Racing Cocktails, Newport Shipyard

Saturday, July 28
0830 - 0930 - Crew Substitution Weigh-in
1100 - Initial Warning Signal (3 Races Scheduled)
After Racing Cocktails, Newport Shipyard

Sunday, July 29
0830 - 0930 - Crew Substitution Weigh-in
1100 - Initial Warning Signal (2 Races Scheduled)
After Racing Awards Ceremony, Newport Shipyard