Duncan and Suddath capture 2022 U.S. National Ranking Series Titles
by U.S. Melges 24 Class Association 14 Dec 2022 15:24 PST
2022 World Champion and U.S. National Ranking Series Champion Peter Duncan races Raza Mixta © Matias Capizzano
Reigning Melges 24 World Champion Peter Duncan racing Raza Mixta has won the overall 2022 U.S. National Ranking Series. Long-time Melges 24 owner Steve Suddath's 3 half Men captured the Corinthian Ranking Series title.
Sixty-nine teams competed in the Series, 18 of which raced pure Corinthian. Although the majority of competitors are from the U.S, the Class was thrilled to welcome twelve International teams from Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Norway.
For Duncan, winning the title can be attributed to a fifth place finish at the U.S. National Championship last month in Pensacola, Florida. This result allowed him to beat Canada's 2022 National Champion and Ranking Series runner-up Richard Reid at the helm of Zingara by a singular point.
The next four teams on the ranking kept the racing super intense all year long. They continuously traded places and shifted positions at several high profile events such as Key West's Southernmost Regatta, Bacardi and the Worlds in Ft. Lauderdale. It all came down to a solid finish at the National Championship, ending the Series with an unprecedented four-way tie in points. On countback, Drew Freides' Pacific Yankee, Laura Grondin's Dark Energy, Harry Melges IV on Zenda Express and Bruce Ayres' Monsoon finished respectively in third, fourth, fifth and sixth.
2022 U.S. National Champion Brian Porter on Full Throttle finished the Series in seventh.
In eighth overall, 2019 Melges 24 North American Champion Travis Weisleder racing Lucky Dog took over the Series lead from Bora Gulari racing New England Ropes when he won an impressive third consecutive Charleston Race Week title. He held on to that lead right up until the National Championship.
Germany's Peter Karrie on Nefeli finished ninth overall, and Gulari rounded out the top ten.
In the hotly contested Corinthian division, Suddath won the Corinthian Ranking Series after winning his second all-amatuer National Championship title. This achievement secured his win in the Series.
U.S. Melges 24 Class President and owner of Decorum, Megan Ratliff with her brother Hunter at the helm, ended the 2022 year on a high-note. The tenacious Decorum team improved with each event placing them second overall on the 2022 Corinthian National Ranking Series.
Third place Corinthian is Fraser McMillan racing Sunnyvale from Canada. He and his spry team took the early division lead when he won Charleston Race Week last April. Having only competed in Charleston and Worlds, this left the door of opportunity wide open for Suddath and Ratliff to advance.
Calling Lake Lanier Sailing Club home, fourth and fifth place Corinthian racers Michael Lenkeit on Rapscallion and Brent McKenzie's Ex-Kahn are considered two of the Southeast region's toughest competitors and big-time travelers.
They are followed by 2022 Melges 24 Corinthian World Champion Niccolo Bertola racing Taki 4 in sixth, with Norway's Jan Frederick Dvyi's Team RRH in seventh.
Another pair of Atlanta-based Melges 24s also claim top ten spots on the 2022 Corinthian National Ranking — USM24CA Southeast District Governor Tony Stanley on Hermes and Roger Counihan's Jaws take the eighth and ninth place positions. The Gulf Coast's John Meade on Dansoux finished the year tenth on the Corinthian National Ranking.
The U.S. Melges 24 Class is setting up for a banner 2023 and ready to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Melges 24.
Stay close to the U.S. Melges 24 Class website as the 2023 U.S. National Ranking line-up of events will be announced very soon.
Overall Results: (top ten, 9 events)
1. Peter Duncan, Raza Mixta (USA-829)
2. Richard Reid, Zingara (CAN-853)
3. Drew Freides, Pacific Yankee (USA-865)
4. Laura Grondin, Dark Energy (USA-864)
5. Harry Melges IV, Zenda Express (USA-866)
6. Bruce Ayres, Monsoon (USA-851)
7. Brian Porter, Full Throttle (USA-849)
8. Travis Weisleder, Lucky Dog (USA-858)
9. Peter Karrie, Nefeli (USA-859)
10. Bora Gulari, New England Ropes (USA-820)
Corinthian Overall Results: (top ten, 9 events)
1. Steve Suddath, 3 half Men (USA-862)
2. Megan Ratliff, Decorum (USA-805)
3. Fraser McMillan, Sunnyvale (CAN-415)
4. Michael Lenkeit, Rapscallion (USA-446)
5. Brent McKenzie, Ex-Kahn (USA-575)
6. Niccolo Bertola, Taki 4 (ITA-830)
7. Jan Frederick Dvyi, Team RRH (USA-749)
8. Tony Stanley, Hermes (USA-610)
9. Roger Counihan, Jaws (USA-775)
10. John Meade, Dansoux (USA-544)
Full results here