Melges Nationals preview

Teams set to descend on The English Riviera next week

Competitors from as far away as Norway and Spain are expected to take part in the Melges 24 Nationals hosted by the Royal Torbay Yacht Club next week. The important event – the biggest in the UK Melges calendar - takes place over four days from June 2 to 5 with three races scheduled for each day over windward leeward courses.

Among the world class competitors expected to be racing in the event will be former national champion Quentin Strauss with Nigel Young from North Sails as tactician and trimmer and Rob Smith and Stuart Simpson from Team Barbarians.

Local interest is expected to fall on John Pollard and his team on board Xcellent – John recently won the Annapolis Nood regatta held in the USA, and fleet captain Adrian Peach on board Team Panasonic who won the second of this year’s open meetings hosted by the club.

This is the third time the RTYC has hosted the nationals, this year between 25 to 30 boats are expected to attend. The event will be a good lead in to the Europeans which the club will be hosting in 2005 in which 70 boats are expected to compete.

RTYC fleet captain, Adrian Peach, said: “Running the nationals has given the club a good insight into how to run the event. This is the third year we have hosted the event and entries have grown over this time.

“Next year the nationals will be going to the Channel Islands but we’ll be hosting a one off Gold Cup event three weeks before the Europeans. The nationals this year and the Gold Cup next year will give crews and helms, especially those from overseas the chance to sample the Bay and some of the different conditions we experience. It should be a great four days, we’re hoping for some good conditions and expecting there to be some fantastic racing.”

And the event will not just reward the top boats – as well as the usual prizes to the first, second and third placed boats, there will also be prizes for the overseas boats, RTYC boats, and Corinthian boats, a Wrinklies prize which will take into consideration the combined ages of the four oldest crew members, a Babies prize and a prize for the top female helm.

The John Merricks Memorial Trophy will be awarded to the first UK placed boat on Friday June 4. Various Corinthian day prizes will also be awarded.