13 March 2015 – Miami, Florida, US – The venue for the 2016 Melges 24 World Championship was confirmed by the Executive Committee of the International Melges 24 Class Association (IM24CA) on March 12. Among four bids submitted to IM24CA by Sail Newport, Charleston Ocean Racing Association (CORA), Miami Yacht Club and St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Miami Yacht Club was voted to host the Melges 24 Worlds in November 2016.
The Melges 24 World Championship 2016 will be organised by the Miami Yacht Club in co-operation with US Melges 24 Class and the International Melges 24 Class Association.
Since its foundation in 1927 Miami Yacht Club (Miami YC) has been focused on sailing and racing. Miami YC is a member of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Racing Association – hosting races, providing race committee volunteers, venue for awards dinners etc. With a unique geographic location in Miami, Miami YC has easy access to Biscayne Bay as the Atlantic Ocean. This location draws domestic & international sailors for winter training in both smoother – bay – and rougher – ocean conditions.
“Our Race Committee and Board of Governors are extremely excited at the chance to host this exciting regatta for one of sailing's ultimate racing classes. We are also immensely pleased at the opportunity to bring the Melges 24 Worlds fleet to one of the world's most widely acclaimed sailing venues for the first time in its long and illustrious history,” said Rick Tobin, Commodore of the Miami YC.
“As a chairman of the International Melges 24 Class Association I am proud about the decision taken yesterday and very excited to go to Miami for the Worlds in November 2016. I have been involved in the process where four bids from top venues in the US submitted their bids and lead Miami Yacht Club to be nominated by the USMCA as the selected venue. It was a unanimous decision by the executive group of IM24CA,” said Jens Wathne, the Chairman of IM24CA. “IM24CA extends the gratitude to these persons involved in the work with a tight time frame. The East Coast provides a window towards the European class and is an excellent choice of venue. Together with USMCA and Miami YC we will work to have more regattas at the same location leading up to the World Championship. We hope to boost the national class and owners in the US as a result of this decision.”
Event dates – tentative:
Wednesday 16th to Friday 18th November: Measurement and registration
Friday 18th November: Practice race and the Opening Ceremony
Saturday 19th to Wednesday 23rd November: 2016 Melges 24 World Championship
