Charleston’s Mega Regatta on Tap 286 Boats and 2,500 Racers Ready for Action
Charleston, South Carolina (April 16, 2015) — Tax day. For most of America, that’s a worry. For the 2,500 or so sailors participating in Sperry Charleston Race Week, not so much. In fact, for them, today was a breeze – literally. In 15-knot easterly winds, hundreds of sailors launched their boats at marinas, yacht clubs and boat yards around Charleston, while nearly 100 crews took to the water to enjoy some serious tune-up racing. They're all prepping for the tomorrow’s start of this annual mega regatta – the largest event of its kind in both North and South America.
The competition starts in earnest tomorrow (Friday, April 17), with the on-the-water action covered via livestreaming on the event's website (www.charlestonraceweek.com).Tomorrow’s broadcast will feature professional analysis from US Sailing Team member and multiple national champion John Casey, with color commentary by Sailing Anarchy Senior Editor Alan Block. You can watch it all beginning at 10:30 AM EST at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyvYzBiYxUQ
But for now, we'll let today's photos tell the story:
Sperry Charleston Race Week/Sander van der Borch photos
Without polishing the hull to a mirror shine and ensuring perfect mast tune, you don’t stand a chance in the ultra-competitive one-design classes at Sperry Charleston Race Week.
Sperry Charleston Race Week/Brian Carlin photo
Twin Melges 20s get ready for a practice race on Registration Day of Sperry Charleston Race Week. This spring classic will serve as the Audi Melges 20 2015 US National Championship regatta.
Sperry Charleston Race Week/Brian Carlin photo
La Casa de Sperry is a sanctuary of peace; here the Sperry team prepares for the onslaught of footwear-seeking racers at Sperry Charleston Race Week.
Sperry Charleston Race Week/Sander van der Borch photo
Charleston definitely isn’t short of landmarks! Here, Jamie Walker's Swan 56 Azura (competing in the Pursuit Class) heads upwind under the Ravenel Bridge on a
practice beat.
Sperry Charleston Race Week/Brian Carlin photo
Some 600 skippers and tacticians from every racing yacht in Charleston crammed into the massive Charleston Harbor Pavilion this afternoon to hear opening remarks from Sperry Charleston Race Week Event Director Randy Draftz. You can watch the full briefing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oelK3ad-oxg
Sperry Charleston Race Week/Sander van der Borch photo
Olympic Laser sailor Mark Mendelblatt, right, hoists the mast of a Melges 20 before that class' National Championship at Sperry Charleston Race Week.
Sperry Charleston Race Week/Sander van der Borch photo
Brazilians love J/boats, and Haroldo Solberg's team on board Viking heads upwind on a tuning run in 15 knots of northeast breeze.
Sperry Charleston Race Week/Sander van der Borch photo
This team’s got SOUL! Running five abreast is just an ordinary day for the incredibly tight fleet racing in the J/70 Class.
Sperry Charleston Race Week/Sander van der Borch photos
Without polishing the hull to a mirror shine and ensuring perfect mast tune, you don’t stand a chance in the ultra-competitive one-design classes at Sperry Charleston Race Week.
