If Sunday November 18th was any indication, Team Paradise's 2.4mR fleet will be a huge success. The visiting Star team form Norway, Eivind Melleby and Petter Morland Pedersen, Eivind's father-in-law Per Undrum and Etchells world champion, Bill Mauk, made up the entry list of four boats. The weather cooperated 100% in what was the nicest day in Miami after a long and hot Summer. We had originally planned for three races, but they all wanted more..., one more. Petter beat his skipper in the first race, but then Eivind took over, winning the next three.
The boats are really "sexy" with Kevlar sails and all. They will create a lot of interest around the yacht clubs as we are planning to have fleet and match races all winter long. The opportunities are near endless. Perhaps we can run a event during the MOCR where the winner of the day in each class get to race one and other. How cool would that be? The 2.4 really levels the playing field among disabled and not. It allows for total integration of sailors representing the Olympics and the Paralympics. It is what the disabled want and it is easy to understand why.
Magnus