Ayres' Melges 24 Monsoon Rocks Detroit City
Photos: ©2024 Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series, Detroit / Walter Cooper 2024 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Melges 24 Detroit Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Champions - Monsoon. In the foreground, USMCA Midwest District Governor and crew member aboard Monsoon, George Peet officially introduces the next generation Melges 24 sailor to the world!
The Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series Detroit concluded this past weekend with yet another notable performance in the Melges 24 division. Bruce Ayres and his team: George Peet, Ted Hackney, Tommy Dietrich and Pearl Latanza on Monsoon emerged as the overall winners, while Canada's Dan Berezin, sailing Surprise, won the Corinthian division.
Detroit's reputation as a prime destination for Melges 24 sailing was reaffirmed with the return of the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series at Bayview Yacht Club. The first day set a relaxed yet competitive tone, with perfect sailing conditions on Lake St. Clair. Ayres, a past Regatta Series winner, dominated the Division C Race Circle, winning all three races by significant margins thanks to superior speed and strategy in light and flat conditions.
On Sunday, the final day of competition, Ayres overcame a rough start in the final race but managed to secure a class win by a 7-point margin over Berezin, illustrating the high stakes and excitement of the event.
“Sunday was very tricky with 20-30° shifts and very big differences in wind speed which combined with the other boats in the fleet continuing to sail faster and better with each leg, really kept us working hard!”
Fellow Canadian Mike Gozzard, at the helm of Rush, rounded out the podium.