Ian Atkin’s Melges IC37 Icy was named the Hamble Winter Series Big Boat Champion, as well as winning the IRC 1 class, at the 38th Hamble Winter Series. The 2019 edition of the annual Solent series was held over 4 weeks in October by the Hamble River Sailing Club, comprising 8 races in a tightly fought fleet of the UK’s top race boats. The prestigious Hamble Star Trophy was presented to Dr Mark Tomson on behalf of Icy, a trophy originally gifted to the Hamble River Sailing Club in 1934 by the Household Brigade Yacht Club, and now dedicated to the memory of HRSC Secretary Jane Windsor who passed away in the summer.

2019 has been a great first year for the newly arrived Melges IC37 in the UK, winning its Class in a breezy Cowes Week, and then winning the IRC 1 division at a light airs Royal Southern September Regatta counting firsts and seconds. This continuing success of the Melges IC37 under IRC in the Solent has led to sales agents Ancasta receiving huge amount of interest in the One Design, with its own fleet planned for next year.