McClennen’s Gamecock Reigns in Detroit as Melges 24s Deliver High-Speed Action
©2025 Walter Cooper / Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series, Detroit
©2025 Walter Cooper / Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series, Detroit
The 2025 Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series in Detroit delivered classic racing conditions, and the Melges 24 fleet made the most of it. Hosted by Bayview Yacht Club, the two-day regatta saw 12 teams complete seven high-energy races in sportboat paradise. With a crisp northerly breeze and rolling freshwater waves on Lake St. Clair, it was fast, tactical sailing from start to finish.
Peter McClennen’s Gamecock emerged as the clear overall winner, sealing the title with a dominant 10-point margin. Hailing from Newport, Rhode Island, McClennen and his seasoned team—featuring tactician Jeremy Wilmot—showed pace and poise throughout. McClennen and his Gamecock team took home a string of bullets in big breeze conditions, where Wilmot’s advice proved decisive.
“He’s the best at moding,” said McClennen. “This week he changed a few things I’m used to. I always drive seated, but he forced me to stand up downwind so I can see better, which was true. In the big breeze, we were pushing it really hard and hit like 18 knots. The cool thing about this venue was the waves. A lot of the other places where we race the Melges 24, the water’s generally flat. So, I hadn’t sailed the 24 in waves like that in more than a year.”
In the all-amateur Corinthian division, Canada’s Dan Berezin and his Surprise crew rose to the top, securing victory among seven Corinthian teams, and second overall. Berezin also grabbed a race win on Saturday, proving that consistency and experience can pay off even against full-pro teams in heavier air.
The Corinthian racing was especially tight, with John Shockey’s Wombmates Racing finishing just one point behind Berezin in third overall. Shockey’s team delivered an impressive scoreline that included back-to-back first-place finishes, highlighting the depth of the fleet and the intensity of the racing. With a final tally of 21 points to Berezin’s 20, the Corinthian competition went right down to the wire.
©2025 Walter Cooper / Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series, Detroit
©2025 Walter Cooper / Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series, Detroit
The Detroit stop was the third of six events in the 2025 Sailing World Regatta Series, and served double duty as a Melges 24 North American Sailing Series event and the second regatta on the Quantum Great Lakes Cup circuit. With a full race card, tight racing, and perfect freshwater conditions, Detroit once again proved to be a prime summer venue for top-tier one-design racing.
TOP FIVE RESULTS OVERALL (Final)
1.) USA - Peter McClennen, Gamecock; 1-2-1-2-2-1-1 = 10 pts.
2.) CAN - Dan Berezin (C), Surprise; 2-1-2-3-6-2-4 = 20 pts.
3.) USA - John Shockey (C), Wombmates Racing; 4-6-3-1-1-3-3 = 21 pts.
4.) USA - Fred Roselle, Rustler; 3-10-9-6-3-5-2 = 38 pts.
5.) USA - Peter Schumacher, Mary Ann; 8-7-8-4-8-10-6 = 51 pts;
CORINTHIAN / FULL RESULTS (Final)
1.) CAN - Dan Berezin, Surprise; 20 pts.
2.) USA - John Shockey, Wombmates Racing; 21 pts.
3.) USA - Eric Vigrass, Tomfoolery; 52 pts.
4.) USA - Scot Zimmerman, Bad Idea; 52 pts.
5.) CAN - Robert Wigny, Notorious; 61 pts.
6.) USA - Tom Ritter, Tramp; 68 pts.
7.) CAN - John Marentette, Spitfire; 73 pts.