The 2021 Melges 24 Canadian Championship came to a conclusion Sunday with another four races sailed in perhaps the trickiest conditions of the contest. The wind was a slowly weakening 5-8 knot west-southwesterly, a direction which pushed the course further out into stronger and unpredictable flood currents churned up by the many rocks and islets off Oak Bay.
Sunnyvale didn’t falter under pressure to claim the overall win. Fraser McMillan and crew, Aidan Koster, Alex Levkoskiy and Chris ‘Shaka’ Vassallo put on a masterclass picking their way through the light and challenging conditions to claim three firsts and a third. Mike Bond and crew aboard Recidivist finished the event second overall and claimed the top Corinthian prize. Duncan Stamper & Mark Malleson’s Goes to Eleven crew wrapped up the series in third overall and second Corinthian with Phil Harland’s PCH rounding out the Corinthian podium in third, fourth place overall.
A big shout out to the regatta organizers, led by co-chairs Evan Carey (also crewing aboard Rich Mundell’s Psyclone) and Corinne Whelan, for putting on a fantastic event both on and off the water. The COVID friendly Greek themed buffet dinner on Saturday evening was a hit punctuated with sightings of several toga wearing patrons. Thanks to host club and sponsor Royal Victoria Yacht Club, and additional sponsors UK Sailmakers Northwest, Trotac Marine, Gyro Beach Board Shop, Hoyne Brewing Co. and Roberts Composites, the latter of which donated some beautiful Melges 24 carbon keelsavers and an instrument mast mount.
And finally, a huge thanks to the race committee, ably led by PRO Leigh Anderson, who managed to hold an amazing fifteen fair races in the light and sometimes tricky conditions.