Fargo crowned 2024 Melges 24 North American Sailing Series Champion
by U.S. Melges 24 Class Association 3 Dec 2024 12:30 NZDT
2024 North American Sailing Series Champion Geoff Fargo racing Sentinel races downwind in San Francisco at the World Championship held last August, and goes on to win! © Zerogradinord / International Melges Class Association
The 2024 Melges 24 North American Sailing Series (NASS) was not just about racing—it was a season filled with exceptional talent, fierce competition, world-class events, dynamic destinations and a whole lot of fun! Spanning ten regattas across the United States and Canada, the series brought Melges 24 sailors together from coast to coast, and all over the world in a celebration of skill and camaraderie that defines the Class.
The NASS traversed diverse venues, from the challenging currents of San Francisco Bay during the World Championship to the scenic waters of West Vancouver for the Canadian Nationals. Each event tested sailors' adaptability and skill, contributing to one of the most engaging series in Class history.
At the top of a leaderboard featuring 90+ competitors, 2024 U.S. National Champion Geoff Fargo at the helm of Sentinel, emerged as the overall 2024 Melges 24 North American Series Champion. Congratulations to Geoff and his team for an outstanding season, narrowly edging out Bacardi Winter Series Champion Bora Gulari and his Kingspoke team by just one point to claim the title.
In third place overall, 2023 National Ranking Series Champion Dan Berezin and his Surprise team delivered another stellar performance. With this result, Dan and his crew have also been crowned the 2024 Melges 24 Corinthian North American Champions—a prestigious accomplishment that highlights the exceptional talent within the amateur ranks of the fleet.
Rounding out the top five Corinthian results are U.S. Melges 24 Class President Scot Zimmerman on Bad Idea (2nd), the legendary Mike Dow on Flying Toaster (3rd), West Coast stalwart Kent Pierce racing Average (4th), and Fred Rozelle on Rustler (5th), respectively.
In 2024, of the ten regattas completed, each team's three best scores counted toward the final results.
Looking ahead, the 2025 Melges 24 North American Sailing Series promises another thrilling season with ten events scheduled across North America. The series will kick off with the Midwinter Championship at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta in St. Petersburg, Florida, and will include notable stops such as Charleston Race Week at Patriots Point in South Carolina and the U.S. National Championship in Pensacola, Florida next November. The season will culminate with the 2025 North American Championship in Miami, aligning with the start of the 2025-2026 Bacardi Winter Series.
Overall Results: (top ten)
1.) USA - Geoff Fargo, Sentinel = 64 pts.
2.) USA - Bora Gulari, Kingspoke = 63 pts.
3.) CAN (C) - Dan Berezin, Surprise = 54 pts.
4.) USA - Cuyler Morris, Dark Horse = 49 pts.
5.) USA - Sandra Askew, Flying Jenny = 49 pts.
6.) USA - Andrew Picel, Take Off = 46 pts.
7.) GER - Peter Karrie, Nefeli = 45 pts.
8.) USA - Sam Nadeau, Green = 44 pts.
9.) USA (C) - Scot Zimmerman, Bad Idea = 44 pts.
10.) USA - Anthony Kotoun, Stepping Razor = 42 pts.
Corinthian Results: (top ten)
1.) CAN (C) - Dan Berezin, Surprise = 54 pts.
2.) USA (C) - Scot Zimmerman, Bad Idea = 44 pts.
3.) USA (C) - Mike Dow, Flying Toaster = 32 pts.
4.) USA (C) - Kent Pierce, Average = 31 pts.
5.) USA (C) - Fred Rozelle, Rustler = 30 pts.
6.) USA (C) - Duane Yoslov, Looper = 30 pts.
7.) USA (C) - Harry Vigrass, Tomfoolery = 27 pts.
8.) USA (C) - Matt Hamilton, Chop Chop = 26 pts.
9.) USA (C) - Gary Schwarting, Obsession = 25 pts.
10.) USA (C) - William Morang, Rapscallion = 24 pts.
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