2026 Melges 24 North American Sailing Series offers stellar line-up of events
by International Melges 24 Class Association 20 Dec 2025 09:22 PST
September 19-26, 2026
Melges 24 U.S. National Championship 2025 - Pensacola, FL, USA © Anna Suslova
The International Melges 24 Class Association (IM24CA), in coordination with the U.S. Melges 24 Class Association (USM24CA), and the Canadian Melges 24 Class Association (CM24CA) are pleased to unveil the initial lineup for the 2026 Melges 24 North American Sailing Series (NASS) schedule of racing events.
With a minimum of least eleven regattas expected to make the final cut, it has the potential be one of the largest North American schedules announced in recent history. Ultimately, the 2026 NASS promises exceptional racing opportunities for both professional and Corinthian Melges 24 teams.
Spanning the North American continent, the Series will once again anchor itself with premier international championships. The 2026 Melges 24 World Championship will take center stage from September 19-26 in Harbor Springs, Michigan, hosted by the Little Traverse Yacht Club. The Worlds will draw the sport's most accomplished competitors to one of the USA's most celebrated sailing destinations. Just one month prior, teams will gather in Traverse City, Michigan, where the Grand Traverse Yacht Club will host the U.S. National Championship on August 14-16, further intensifying the buildup to Worlds. During the month of June, the Canadian National Championship, hosted June 11-14 by the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron in Halifax, will spotlight a rapidly expanding and increasingly competitive North American fleet.
The Melges 24 Class is also onboard to participate at Sailing World Magazine's Helly Hansen Sailing World Regattas in St. Petersburg and Detroit — ready to show off its really fun, popular style of performance racing. St. Pete's will kick off the season with the Midwinter Championship on February 13-15. The Bacardi Winter Series will play a major role in the early season, with the initial event held in tandem with the 2025 North American Championship on January 23-25, 2026, culminating with the Invitational Regatta in early March. Charleston Race Week at Patriots Point will celebrate 30 years in 2026, and the Melges 24s will be there to usher in the racing (and the amazing parties) for a regatta unlike any other.
In alignment with Vakaros, the Official Technology Partner of the U.S. Melges 24 Class, all 2026 North American Sailing Series events are designated as Vakaros RaceSense-enabled regattas. Earlier this year, World Sailing approved updates to the Melges 24 Class Rules permitting the use of RaceSense, marking a significant step forward in enhancing race management accuracy and the Melges 24 competitor experience.
Beyond the North American Sailing Series itself, Melges 24 sailors can explore a full calendar that will include nearly thirty regattas spread across four regional racing circuits, which include the Quantum Melges 24 Great Lakes Cup (now in its sixth year), the Southeast Racing Series, and the growing West Coast Championship Series. Collectively, these regattas ensure that teams of every experience level—from seasoned championship programs to Corinthian and club-level crews, will have access to great racing in some of the most exciting locations all year long.
Forming the backbone of the 2026 season, events reach from the warm-weather classics of Davis Island Yacht Club and Lake Lanier Sailing Club, to Midwest powerhouse locales such as Muskegon, Lake Geneva, and Detroit, extending all the way to the Pacific with events in Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, and back again to Newport. This breadth marks one of the most geographically diverse racing calendars, reaffirming the North American fleet's commitment to accessibility, regional growth, and high-quality racing opportunities—no matter where teams are based.
As anticipation builds and the journey toward the World Championship moves forward, the official Notice of Series (NOS) will be published soon. The Class encourages sailors to stay closely connected to the U.S. Class Website where new events, schedule updates, and expanded details will be posted regularly. Be sure to also visit the Canadian Melges 24 Class online. Stay in touch and support the growing Melges 24 fleet in Chile, whose activities can be followed through their official Facebook Channel.
The 2026 Melges 24 North American Sailing Series represents one of the most wide-reaching schedules yet, offering world-class championship experiences, vibrant regional racing, and more opportunities than ever for all sailors to join the action, get in on the fun, and race the Melges 24—the sport of sailing's most exciting one-design fleet.
View the official website here.