
Cork, Ireland and USVI Team take 2025 Melges 15 European Championship
With the title up for grabs, Race 7 of Day 3 kicked off with early fireworks. ISV 1019 (Lola Kohl & Christian Ezequiel) surged into the lead, while regatta leaders ISV 1015 (Atlee Kohl & Cathal O’Regan) rounded sixth—just ahead of USA 1021 (Esteban Forrer & Jeremy Herrin).
USA 1017 (Dana & John Haig) owned the first downwind, rounding first at the gate. IRL 562 (Barry McCartin & Teddy Byrne) surged up the right on the last upwind, while ISV 1019 fought back to reclaim third. ISV 1015 stayed consistent in fifth. On the last downwind. A poor set by IRL 562 allowed ISV 1019 to pounce. USA 1021 slumped to 12th—their worst of the regatta.At the finish. The Haigs held strong for the win. ISV 1019 claimed second, IRL 562 third, and ISV 1015 climbed to fourth—protecting their slim overall lead. Heading into the final, ISV 1015 led by just two points over IRL 562.
The Showdown: Race 9
The start was tense, highlighted by a pre start incident between ISV 1015 and IRL 562. Both went right, looking good—until a late left shift favored the Haigs, who rounded top mark 1–2 (USA 1017 and USA 1018). ISV 1015 came around third, with IRL 562 in sixth as left-side flyers swept through.
GBR 1023 (Simon & Katie Horsfield) unleashed on the run, grabbing fifth pushing IRL 562 farther back. The Haigs finished 1–2 again, but ISV 1015 sealed the title with a strong third place.
2025 Champions with Cork Roots
ISV 1015 – Atlee Kohl & Cathal O’Regan (CORK/ISV)
Both Atlee and Cathal hail from Cork, with extensive youth sailing success out of Royal Cork YC and Royal St. George YC . Their Cork connection powered them to the championship win—proof that local talent can dominate on the European stage.
Final Overall Standings (After 8 Races, 1 Drop)
ISV 1015 - Atlee Kohl & Cathal O’Regan - ISV (CORK) - 28 pts
IRL 562 - Barry McCartin & Teddy Byrne - IRL - 32 pts
USA 1021 - Esteban Forrer & Jeremy Herrin - USA - 40 pts.
USA 1018 - Emily Haig & Jimmy Muller - USA - 45 pts
IRL 564 - John & Katie Sheehy - IRL - 48 pts
Full results: https://halsail-1e484.kxcdn.com/Result/Public/90184?EventID=5201
Regatta Photos: https://melges.smugmug.com/Melges-15/2025-Melges-15-Europeans
Tactical Moves and Tight Finishes at Day 2 of Melges 15 Europeans
Dublin Bay – July 12
The Hyland Shipping course delivered a day of light-air chess matches and standout performances on Day 2 of the Melges 15 Europeans. Four races were completed in challenging conditions, with big moves shaking up the overall leaderboard.
Race 1 – The lightest air race of the regatta saw John Sheehy and his niece Katie Sheehy (IRL 564, Flying Tiger) lead at the top mark. Close behind were Rob Britts (USA 1016) and Emily Haig (USA 1018). Haig and crew Jimmy Muller surged downwind to take the lead, but Simon and Katie Horsfield (GBR 1023) jibed smartly at the end and edged them out by less than a boat length to take the win.
Race 2 – With the sea breeze starting to fill (6–8 knots), Joan Gelpi and Maritxell Gelpi (ESP 1026) nailed the right side of the course and took an early lead they would never relinquish. The father-daughter team of John and Dana Haig (USA 1017) rounded second, followed closely by Esteban Forrer and Jeremy Herrin (USA 1021). But it was the Virgin Islands teams—Atlee Kohl and Cathal O'Regan (ISV 1015) and Lola Kohl and Emily Kohl (ISV 1019)—who made the biggest move, jibing early and gaining massively. ESP 1026 won convincingly, with ISV 1015 finishing second after a near-perfect downwind.
Race 3 – With the light air continuing, Emily Haig and Jimmy Muller once again showed their light-air mastery, sailing to victory. Atlee Kohl and Cathal O'Regan beat out John and Katie Sheehy in a photo finish for second.
Race 4 – Joan Gelpi and Maritxell Gelpi (ESP 1026) continued their strong form, leading early with ISV 1015 and ISV 1019 in pursuit. The regatta leaders faced some pressure as Barry McCartin and Teddy Byrne (IRL 562) rounded 7th, and Forrer and Herrin (USA 1021) sat in 10th. McCartin and Byrne executed a textbook downwind jibe, climbing into third by the leeward mark. On the final upwind, Atlee Kohl and Cathal O'Regan (ISV 1015) and Joan Gelpi and Maritxell Gelpi (ESP 1026) engaged in a tacking duel, with ISV 1015 outmaneuvering the Spanish team rounding just ahead. The finishing order held downwind, setting the stage for a tight final day.
Top 5 Overall (After 7 Races):
Atlee Kohl & Cathal O'Regan (ISV 1015) – 21 pts
Esteban Forrer & Jeremy Herrin (USA 1021) – 23 pts
Barry McCartin & Teddy Byrne (IRL 562) – 24 pts
Simon & Katie Horsfield (GBR 1023) – 31 pts John & Katie Sheehy (IRL 564) – 31 pts
Full results: https://halsail-1e484.kxcdn.com/Result/Public/90184?EventID=5201
Regatta photos: https://melges.smugmug.com/Melges-15/2025-Melges-15-Europeans/Day-2
Dublin Bay Delivers on Day 1 of Melges 15 Europeans
Day one kicked off under light conditions, with an early sea breeze filling at 5–7 knots. The right side of the course proved dominant in Race 1, as Simon Horsfield (GBR 1023) and Esteban Forrer (USA 1021) extended early. At the first top mark, Forrer held a narrow lead, but it was Lola Kohl (ISV 1019) who ultimately took the lead on the second downwind to its well executed jib set. She maintained control through the final windward mark, followed closely by Rob Britts (USA 1016) and Irish class president Theo Lyttle (IRL 566).
Race 2 brought a dramatic shift in conditions, as the breeze built to 13–17 knots and waves pushed up to three feet. Irish teams took control early, with Barry McCartin (IRL 562) and Jack Fahy (IRL 636) leading at the first mark. The race soon evolved into a thrilling three-boat battle on the final downwind between McCartin, Esteban Forrer (USA 1021), and Fahy. Multiple lead changes and boat speeds topping 18 knots highlighted the intensity of the leg. Ultimately, McCartin held on for the win, with Forrer finishing a close second and Fahy rounding out the podium. John Sheehy and his niece Katie Sheehy secureing fourth after a strong last down wind!
By Race 3, Dublin bay delivered epic conditions with wind at 15–20 —steady breeze and rolling waves. Chris Brown (GBR 1024) and the husband and wife team of Simon and Katie Horsfield (GBR 1023) rounded the top mark first and second. Chris attempted a jibe set with Simon and Katie extending straight. By the bottom mark the Horsfields had taken firm command winning the race in style.
Day two is slated for similar conditions with a building sea breeze throughout the day.
Full race results: https://halsail-1e484.kxcdn.com/Result/Public/90184?EventID=5201
In Ireland and want to join in on the action. Charter boats are selling fast with a limited number of discounted boats available. Contact John@melgesireland.com.
Full photo gallery available: https://melges.smugmug.com/Melges-15/2025-Melges-15-Europeans/Day-1
International Crews Gather for Inaugural Melges 15 European Championship at VDLR
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 the arrival of 12 brand new charter boats for the Regatta has helped push the class through the 1000 boat mark. A wide range of ages from teens to retirees are 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 9-race series in the Bay for the 33-boat fleet with the addition of new race technology; RaceSense by Vakaros helping to ensure fair starts, no general recalls, and millisecond updates to 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.
The United States where the class originates make up 6 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. 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 arrive as the reigning US Midwinter series champions, having bested 180 teams again this March for a third overall win. Sister Dana Haig 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 lineup 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 get up to speed in the 15 quickly. Irish teams should feature strongly with a dream team line-up of the helm of the 2023 Irish Championships being crewed by the winning crew off 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 favorites 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 having always been near the top of the fleet so will hope to feature by the end of the event.
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.
MELGES 15 CLASS TAKES OVER LONG BEACH RACE WEEK
Submitted by Morgan Paxhia
Over twenty Melges 15s gathered in sunny Southern California for the 20th edition of Long Beach Race Week. There was a large contingent of ABYC boats, as well as others travelling from further away, including San Diego, Colorado, and even two teams from Mexico.
The regatta was sailed in light sea breezes from the south of around 8-10 knots. With big wind shifts rolling through, each race offered new pitfalls and opportunities. For the final race on Sunday, a classic Long Beach 15-knot seabreeze rolled in and the fleet had a fun last race with fast downwinds.
Robbie King (helm) and Karla Reinhardt (crew/owner) took first in the Melges 15 class representing Alamitos Bay Yacht Club. The pair maintained their lead position through the weekend in the ever-competitive class. “The racing was tight and competitive,” said Robbie. “We managed to put in a strong and consistent series over the three days. We had good pace downwind, which allowed us to pass boats and climb through the fleet.” Other than practice racing together during two Wet Wednesdays, it was Robbie's first time racing a regatta in the Melges 15.
“I enjoy racing the Melges 15 and appreciate the opportunities to learn and improve,” said Karla. “We looked at each race, even each leg, as a fresh start and chance to sail better than the previous. In the lighter winds I really saw the difference that even tiny changes in weight placement made.”
Morgan Paxhia and his sister Emily of StFYC & MBYC joined forces again to race LBRW and finish second. It was their first time sailing in the boat together since the Coronado/SDYC Spring Dinghy event back in March. “We sailed day one with some rig issues that resulted in our tension being much tighter than the fleet. We should have known better before leaving the dock, proper rig tension for the conditions is a critical starting point for success. We sorted that out after day one, and got back in the game winning the next two days but insufficient to catch the strong overall performance of Robbie and Karla. It was a great overall event and we look forward to more West Coast action this season.”
So far we have 12 boats signed up for the second weekend of the High Sierra Regatta on Huntington Lake in July. And many more boats are expected at the West Coast Championship in Marina Del Rey on September 13-14. Sign up at www.calyachtclub.com.
Interested in joining the growing west coast fleet? Contact VELA LA for new boats and for charters for the West Coast Championship event.
Long Island Leads Melges 15 Growth Ahead of 2025 East Coast Championship
The 2025 Melges 15 East Coast Championship is set for May 30-June 1 at Centerport Yacht Club in New York, with nearly 40 boats on the starting line. As the third edition of the East Coast Championship and a key regatta on the Championship Series calendar, this year’s event promises a mix of top-tier racing and class camaraderie.
While the Melges 15 Class continues to thrive worldwide, few places have embraced it as enthusiastically as Long Island Sound. What began with a handful of early adopters has transformed into one of the fastest-growing regional fleets in the country.
The Melges Team traveled from Wisconsin to New York with a trailer of nine new Melges 15s to deliver in time for the Championship, including hull number 999. These new boats are joining active fleets all over the state. This summer, over 50 Melges 15s will be racing across Long Island Sound, turning heads at some of the most prestigious yacht clubs in the Northeast.
Centerport Yacht Club has played a central role in the regional movement. The fleet has grown from six boats to one of the most active and visible in the area. Weekly club racing, tune-up sessions, and a tight-knit community have created an ideal launchpad for sailors of all skill levels.
“There was a passionate group of sailors at the club who would find themselves in the bar after PHRF racing, and the enthusiasm for a new one-design class was evident. The design concept of the M15 bridges the gaps found in past boats, providing a versatile and approachable platform for our diverse group,” said John Storck III, Regatta Chair and 2023 National Champion.
The Melges 15 is fast and tactical for experienced racers, forgiving enough for newer sailors, and comfortable enough to sail with a child or spouse. That balance has made it a go-to option for families, club fleets, and seasoned athletes.
“We have a very supportive group of owners who love to get involved through ‘Junior Sailing Day,’ where we take kids out on the Melges 15s and treat them to new experiences—like asymmetricals and planing—which they really enjoy!” said Allison Simkins, a member of CYC and Lloyd Harbor Yacht Club. “We also have a junior sailor, Sophie Adwar, racing her own Melges 15 this weekend. We’re all very excited for her!”
Beyond the racing, the East Coast Championship will spotlight the strong sense of community that defines the Melges 15 Class. Shared ownership models, club-owned boats, and casual evening races are helping lower the barriers to entry and build lasting participation.
The Simkins household owns two Melges 15s, one in honor of Allison’s birthday #777 (July 7) and their original boat #276, which is now lent out for club racing and traveling to events. This weekend, however, it’s their daughter Hallie Simkins who is taking the tiller of #276 and competing in her first class-sanctioned event alongside her parents.
“We are very fortunate that our youngest daughter, who grew up through the CYC junior program, caught the sailing bug,” explained Brian Simkins. “She and another former CYC junior, Brendan Strein, will be sailing on #276 Golden Ticket. It is a lot of fun to be out there competing with and against them–for bragging rights, of course!”
The Melges Team will be onsite coaching and providing daily coverage of the event on the Melges 15 Facebook and Instagram channels. Results will be available on melges15.com/results. For a full schedule of events featured in the Championship Series visit melges15.com/championship-events.
Charter a Melges 15 this Season
Chartering a Melges 15 through an authorized dealer is a perfect way to jump into the action this summer! Whether you're traveling to a major regatta or testing the waters before buying, charter boats are ready to race.
The Melges 15 has quickly become one of North America's most popular double-handed dinghies and is quickly gaining traction worldwide. Many Melges dealers offer charter opportunities for regional and national events, making it easier than ever to sail in top-tier fleets.
Availability varies by location and event, so it’s smart to reserve your charter early! Click any event below to be taken to the dealer charter reservation page.
East Coast Championship • May 30-June 1 • Centerport, NY
European Championship • July 10-13 • Dun Laoghaire, Ireland
West Coast Championship • September 13-14 • Marina del Rey, CA
National Championship • October 3-5 • Long Beach Township, NJ