A host of excited foreign accents can already be heard on the waterfront as crews fly in for the Inaugural Melges 15 Europeans Championships, which will be held on the Hyland Shipping course at the Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta.
Currently the fastest-growing dinghy class in the World, according to promoters, the arrival of 12 brand-new charter boats for the regatta has helped push the class past the 1000-boat mark. A wide range of ages, from teens to retirees, is set to compete in mainly mixed-gender crews, with family partnerships of some sort dominating the numbers.
Volvo Ocean Race PRO Bill O'Hara OBE will run the nine-race series in the Bay for the 33-boat fleet, utilising new race technology, RaceSense by Vakaros, which helps ensure fair starts, no general recalls, and millisecond updates for competitors. As sailors cross the line to start they will be watching carefully for a green light on their Vakaros tactical device indicating a clean start or the dreaded red light and OCS signal indicating that they started early.
Melges 15 Race Officer Bill O'Hara OBE (left) with Melges 15 Ireland's John Sheehy at the Royal St. George Yacht Club Photo: Michael Chester
The United States, where the class originates, makes up six of the overseas entries, with visitors also from the Netherlands, the UK, Spain and the US Virgin Islands. Ireland, where the class has grown rapidly since 2023, makes up the bulk of the entries.
Downwind action from the 2024 Melges Irish Championships at Howth Yacht Club
Looking at the form guide, the US teams will be expected to set the standard with the Haig family where daughter Emily and father John arriving as the reigning US Mid Winter series champions having bested 180 teams again this March for a third overall win. Sister Dana will also feature and has shown up at the top of various events at Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club in New Jersey. Sailing coach Esteban Forrer sailing with Jeremy Herrin, former all American collegiate champions will also be coming into the event with victory as the target. Rob Britts and Jillian Aydelotte from Florida are expected to feature strongly for the American Line up and perhaps the title of top Master.
Closer to home, the Manta Sailing team from the Netherlands could be a surprise package with previous results in the SB20 class an indication of their talent. Multiple UK dinghy champions Simon and Katie Horsfield may get the British teams on the podium but will need to quickly get up to speed in the 15.
The Irish fleet eagerly awaits Friday's inaugural Melges 15 European Championships on Dublin Bay
Irish teams should feature strongly with a dream team lineup of the helm of the 2023 Irish Championships being crewed by the winning crew of the 2024 Irish Championships, expected to challenge for the title. Keep a close eye for this dream pairing of McCartin and Byrne at the top of the leaderboard. Class president Theo Lyttle, crewed by his son Morgan, are coming in hot, having won the last race at the recent East Coast Championships, and husband and wife partnership Mike Huang and Scotia Ryer are firm favourites for the top couple prize as well as a decent outside bet for an overall win. Finally, from the host club, John Sheehy and his niece Katie have always been near the top of the fleet, so we hope to feature them by the end of the event.
Planing conditions allow for big gains offwind in the Melges 15. John Sheehy and his niece Katie are pictured above
Sailing starts on Friday with visiting competitors set to sample some Irish culture at the Guinness Storehouse on Wednesday night and a coaching day on Thursday led by Melges 15 expert Eddie Cox who has flown direct from Colorado to help get the fleet up to speed.
