Buddy Melges
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Harry "Buddy" Melges, Jr., is one of the most successful competitive sailors in history, with dozens of national and international championships in many different classes. Born January 26, 1930, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, Melges grew up on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin sailing the boats designed and manufactured by his father, Harry Melges Sr. Based in Zenda, Wisconsin. Melges Performance Sailboats is still in operation, and is now run by Buddy's son, Harry Melges III. Their Melges 24, introduced in 1993, became one of the most successful launches in boatbuilding history, and today Melges Performance Sailboats is the only builder of many inland lake scow classes, including the A, E, C, M, MC and the Melges 17.
Melges is an Olympic gold (Soling, 1972) and bronze (Flying Dutchman, 1964) medalist, a two-time Star world champion (1978, 1979), a three-time 5.5 Meter World Champion (1967, 1973, 1983), a five-time E-Scow National Champion (1965, 1969, 1978, 1979, 1983), a seven-time Skeeter Ice Boat World Champion (1955, 1957, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1980, 1981) and a three-time Yachtsman of the Year. As a capstone to his competitive career, he helped Bill Koch steer his America3 to a successful defense of the America's Cup in 1992.
Melges still lectures and teaches across the United States. He is currently a member of many yacht clubs across America and is known internationally as "The Wizard of Zenda".
