In case you missed it… contained within the July issue of Quest Magazine is the official 36 page program of the 2019 12mR World Championship. Contents include a full page profile of each team (pg 84), America’s Cup12mR Newport history (pg 110) and hundreds of photos! Program content begins on page 84, but additional 12mR and Newport takes are sprinkled throughout the entire magazine– ENJOY! Click to read online issue.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL 12 METRE CLASS
The 112 year-old International 12 Metre Class encompasses a living history of racing yacht design by the world’s foremost naval architects including Olin Stephens, Clinton Crane, William Fife III, Philip Rhodes, Johan Anker, Ben Lexcen and more who pushed their designs to the very limits of innovation. The resulting boats represented the pinnacle of yacht development from 1907-1987 for the highest levels of international sailing competition– the Olympic Games (1908-1920) and the America’s Cup (1958-1987). www.12mrclass.com
12 Metre World Championship: World Titles Claimed in Four Divisions
NEWPORT, R.I. (July 13, 2019) – It couldn’t have been any more exciting on the fifth and final day of the 2019 12 Metre World Championship hosted by Ida Lewis Yacht Club and organized by the International Twelve Metre Association’s (ITMA) Americas Fleet. With Nyala (US-12) having clinched her series early in the Vintage Division after a sweep of yesterday’s two races, it came down to today’s single race to determine World Champions in Grand Prix, Modern and Traditional Divisions. A 12 Metre Spirit Division also sailed, but with no World Championship at stake. Competing in total were 21 historic 12 Metres from six countries – the largest fleet ever gathered in North America.
Challenge XII (KA-10) owner/helmsman Jack LeFort (second from left) celebrates victory and a World Championship title after today’s final race of the 2019 12 Metre World Championship. (Photo Credit: Ian Roman)
In the fiercely contested eight-boat Modern Division, the stakes were high today for Challenge XII (KA-10), owned and skippered by Jack LeFort of Jamestown, R.I. Last night the team was disqualified after a protest hearing with Courageous (US-26), sailed by a Newport contingent led by Ralph Isham, Steve Glascock, Alexander Auersperg, Ward Marsh and Art Santry (helmsman). Falling from first overall to second, Challenge XII was tied on point score with third-place Courageous and two points behind Enterprise (US-27), helmed by Clay Deutsch of Newport. Going into today’s race LeFort knew that to win his division, he had to beat Courageous and put a boat between his team and Enterprise. He did that and more, closing out Courageous at the start and going on to win the race with a buffer of three boats on Enterprise. (Enterprise and Courageous wound up second and third, respectively.)
“We were obviously pretty low after getting thrown out last night (for tacking too close to Courageous at a mark),” said LeFort after racing. “We had to get everybody focused to keep doing what we’ve been doing.” With today’s victory, Challenge XII counted five first-place finishes in its nine-race series.
Clockwise from top: Crew work on Legacy (KZ-5); Legacy celebrates at the awards ceremony; Columbia (US-16); Challenge XII (KA-10) in its final race; Mauro Pelaschier, helmsman of Nyala (US-12) (Photo Credit: Ian Roman)
In the Grand Prix Division, where four boats from three countries competed, Denmark’s Legacy (KZ-5), helmed by Thomas Andersen with Jesper Bank serving as tactician, took the World Championship title with a one-point lead over New Zealand (KZ-3), owned by Gunther & Maggie Buerman of Newport, R.I. and co-helmed by fellow Newporter Brad Read and Lexi Gahagan of Wilmington, Del. As close as it was, however, Legacy had the series pretty much wrapped today. “We had to be very calm, enjoy the race and not be too hard working,” said Andersen, who counts this as his first time ever sailing a 12 Metre. “Even if we finished fourth we’d still win; we just couldn’t get disqualified or break down.”
Andersen said that Legacy, New Zealand and Kookaburra II (KA-12), owned by Patrizio Bertelli and helmed by Brazil’s Torben Grael, all seemed to be the same speed. “They were very fast, and we were lucky to beat them,” he said. “We could have easily been in third place.”
Columbia’s (US-16) owner and tactician, Kevin Hegarty of Newport with Anthony Chiurco of Princeton, N.J. at the helm took the World title in the Traditional Division after winning today’s final race. “We only had to make sure we beat Nefertiti (US-19) today, but before racing we talked about whether we should cover Nefertiti or just try to win,” said Hegarty. “We voted on going for it all and getting a first-place finish. We’re pretty psyched; we made many improvements to the boat over the winter and really prepared for this championship. It paid off.” Nefertiti, owned and helmed by Jon Sears Wullschleger of Sarasota, Fla. finished third overall, while American Eagle (US-21), sailed by the Eagle 2019 Syndicate of Middletown, R.I., finished second.
Even though she didn’t have to sail today, Italian Patrizio Bertelli’s Vintage Division entrant Nyala took to the racecourse to post her eighth victory in nine races. “We sailed a proper race, fought hard and learned something more in today’s bigger winds (13-16 knots) and waves,” said helmsman Mauro Pelaschier. “It was great training for next week at the New York Yacht Club’s 175th Anniversary Regatta (serving as the 12 Metre Jubilee).
The oldest 12 Metre in the regatta was Onawa (US-6), built in 1928 and sailed by a syndicate led by Jim Blanusha, Steven Gewirz, Louis Girard, Earl McMillen and Mark Watson of Newport, R.I. She finished second in the Vintage Division.
In the 12 Metre Spirit Division America II (US-42), skippered by Michael Fortenbaugh of Jersey City, N.J. won by one point over America II (US-46), its stable mate from the New York Harbor Sailing Foundation, skippered by Scott Curtis of New York, NY.
Clockwise from top: Vema III (N-11) in the 12 Metre Parade; Earl McMillen of Onawa (US-6) in parade dress; Courageous (US-26) accepts Waypoints Series Trophy; Awards Ceremony at the International Yacht Restoration School.(Photo Credit: Ian Roman)
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(results below)
2019 12 Metre Worlds
FINAL RESULTS – Nine Races
Day Five (July 13)
12mR – Grand Prix (4 Boats) 1. Legacy (KZ-5), Thomas Andersen / Jesper Bank, Munkebo, Fyn, Den – 1 -1 -1 -1 -3 -3 -2 -1-3; 16 2. New Zealand (KZ-3), Gunther & Maggie Buerman, Newport, RI, USA – 2 -2 -2 -2 -1 -2 -3 -2 -1; 17 3. Kookaburra II (KA-12), Torben Grael / Patrizio Bertelli, Arezzo, ITA – 3 -3 -3 -3 -2 -1 -1 -3 -2; 21 4. Kiwi Magic (KZ-7), Johan Blach Petersen, Aarhus C, DEN – 4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4; 36
12mR – Modern (8 Boats) 1. Challenge XII (KA-10), Jack LeFort, Jamestown, RI, USA – 1 -2 -1 -1 -2 -4 – 9(DSQ) -1 -1; 22
2. Enterprise (US-27), Clayton & Nancy Deutsch, Newport, RI, USA – 3 -4 -3 -3 -1 -1 -2 -2 -5; 24 3. Courageous (US-26), Ralph Isham / Steve Glascock / Alexander Auersperg / Ward Marsh, Newport, RI, USA – 2 -1 -2 -4 -4 -2 -3 -3 -3; 24 4. Victory ’83 (K-22), Dennis Williams, Hobe Sound, FL, USA – 4 -6 -4 -2 -3 -3 -1 -4 -2; 29
5. Intrepid (US-22), Jack Curtin, Toronto, Ont, CAN – 6 -3 -5 -6 -6 -7 -4 -5 -6; 48 6. Freedom (US-30), Charles Robertson, Guilford, CT, USA – 5 -5 -6 -5 -5 -5 -6 -9 -4; 50 7. Defender (US-33), Dick Enersen, San Rafael, CA, USA – 7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -6 -5 -8 -7; 61 8. Lionheart (K-18), Harry Graves, Grand Isle, VT, USA – 8 -8 -8 -8 -9 -9 -7 -6 -9; 72
12mR – Traditional (4 Boats) 1. Columbia (US-16), Kevin Hegarty / Anthony Chiurco, Newport, RI / Princeton, NJ, USA – 1 -2 -2 -1 -3 -1 -2 -1 -1; 14 2. American Eagle (US-21), Eagle 2019 Syndicate, Middletown, RI, USA – 2 -1 -1 -3 -2 -3 -1 -2 -5 (RET); 20 3. Nefertiti (US-19), Jon Sears Wullschleger, Sarasota, FL, USA – 3 -3 -3 -2 -1 -2 -3 -3 -2; 22 4. Easterner (US-18), Scott Bernard, Annapolis, MD, USA – 5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5; 45
12mR – Vintage (4 Boats) 1. Nyala (US-12), Mauro Pelaschier / Patrizio Bertelli, Arezzo, ITA – 1 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1; 10 2. Onawa (US-6), Jim Blanusha / Steven Gewirz / Louis Girard / Earl McMillen / Mark Watson, Newport, RI, USA – 2 -1 -3 -2 -2 -4 -2 -2 -2; 20 3. Blue Marlin (FIN-1), Henrik Andersin, Kauniainen, Uusimaa, FIN – 3 -3 -2 -3 -3 -2 -3 -3 -3; 25 4. Vema III (N-11), Johan Troye, Oslo, Norway, NOR – 4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -3 -4 -4 -4; 35
12mR- Spirit (2 Boats) 1. America II (US-42), Michael Fortenbaugh, Jersey City, NJ, USA – 3 -1 -2 -1 -1 -3 -1 -2 -1; 15
2. America II (US-46), Scott Curtis, New York, NY, USA – 1 -2 -1 -2 -2 -3 -2 -1 -2; 16
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL 12 METRE CLASS
The 112 year-old International 12 Metre Class encompasses a living history of racing yacht design by the world’s foremost naval architects including Olin Stephens, Clinton Crane, William Fife III, Philip Rhodes, Johan Anker, Ben Lexcen and more who pushed their designs to the very limits of innovation. The resulting boats represented the pinnacle of yacht development from 1907-1987 for the highest levels of international sailing competition– the Olympic Games (1908-1920) and the America’s Cup (1958-1987). www.12mrclass.com
12 Metre World Championship: Nyala Clinches Early to Win World Title in Vintage Division
NEWPORT, R.I. (July 12, 2019) – After a front carrying torrential rain passed through overnight, the Weather Gods graciously delivered sunshine and fresh 10-12 knot breezes to Rhode Island Sound for the fourth and penultimate day of the 2019 12 Metre World Championship. Hosted by Ida Lewis Yacht Club and organized by the International Twelve Metre Association’s (ITMA) Americas Fleet, the event has seen 21 historic 12 Metres from six countries – the largest fleet ever gathered in North America – locked in battle for championship titles in four divisions (Grand Prix, Modern, Traditional and Vintage), while a fifth division (12 Metre Spirit) has also raced.
Claiming an early overall victory today in the four-boat Vintage Division was Italian Patrizio Bertelli’s Nyala (US-12) with Mauro Pelaschier at the helm. Pelaschier also won the 2009 12 Metre World Championship with Nyala and showed his intent to rise again when he walked away with victory at last week’s 12 Metre Pre-Worlds. (Nyala also won the 12 Metre Worlds in 2014 but without Pelaschier at the helm.) After winning both races today in tricky conditions that included negotiating big swells, Nyala’s nearly-perfect score line (all firsts and one second) added up to nine points, with no way for Onawa (US-6), its closest competitor with 18 points, to mathematically pass it tomorrow in the single race that has been planned.
Nyala (US-12) and her crew (Mauro Pelaschier third from right on top row) at the 2019 12 Metre Worlds on day four. (Photo Credit: Ian Roman)
“This (winning) is my birthday present because I just became 70 years old,” said Pelaschier, after popping a champagne cork back at the dock. A three-time Olympian, he also helmed Azzurra (I-4), the first Italian challenger for the America’s Cup, in Newport during the 1983 America’s Cup. “It is fantastic to see so many 12 Metres together and to see the restoration of these boats and how competitive they are.” He pointed out that Nyala’s gear is all original from 1938. “The coffee grinder and winches are small and not easy to manage, but the crew is so good (mostly fromAzzurra) and we are preserving history.”
Nyala came to the 12 Metre Worlds with the Grand Prix Kookaburra II (KA-12),also owned by Bertelli who is CEO of the Prada fashion group and primary backer of the Challenger of Record (Luna Rossa) for the 36th America’s Cup. Bertelli has been crewing aboard Kookaburra II, while five-time Olympic Medalist Torben Grael has been behind her wheel.
Said Pelaschier: “We know both boats are competitive, but we must continue to improve them, because we will be racing with them for a long time and plan to be at the 12 Metre Worlds next year.”
At press time, Kookaburra II, which won a race both today and yesterday, was in third place; however, protests are pending in her Grand Prix Division, where Legacy (KZ-5) is leading and New Zealand (KZ-3) is three points behind in second.
Start of the Modern Division on day four of the 2019 12 Metre World Championship. (Photo Credit: Ian Roman)
Protests also are pending in the Modern and Traditional Divisions, where Challenge XII (KA-10) and Columbia (US-16) are leading, respectively.
Last night’s 12 Metre Yacht Club Dinner Dance, the centerpiece of the regatta’s after-racing social engagements, hosted more than 400 guests for an elegant sit-down dinner at the Marble House mansion, followed by dessert and dancing to a live band.
Tomorrow, the International Parade of 12 Metres will take place prior to the final race, with all the boats following a parade route that starts from Fort Adams (where the Sail Newport Sailing Center is located) and winds around to various vantage points in Newport Harbor, including the New York Yacht Club, Ida Lewis Yacht Club, Bannister’s and Bowen’s Wharf, Newport Yacht Club, and Gurney’s Resort and Marina.
Ted Turner (with guest Carol Swift, second row left) joined the celebration at the 12 Metre Dinner Dance at the 2019 12 Metre Worlds (Photo Credit: SallyAnne Santos)
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(results below)
2019 12 Metre Worlds
Day Four (July 12)
12mR – Grand Prix (4 Boats) 1. Legacy (KZ-5), Thomas Andersen / Jesper Bank, Munkebo, Fyn, Den – 1 -1 -1 -1 -3 -3 -2 -1; 13 2. New Zealand (KZ-3), Gunther & Maggie Buerman, Newport, RI, USA – 2 -2 -2 -2 -1 -2 -3 -2; 16 3. Kookaburra II (KA-12), Torben Grael / Patrizio Bertelli, Arezzo, ITA – 3 -3 -3 -3 -2 -1 -1 -3; 19 4. Kiwi Magic (KZ-7), Johan Blach Petersen, Aarhus C, DEN – 4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4; 32
12mR – Modern (8 Boats) 1. Challenge XII (KA-10), Jack LeFort, Jamestown, RI, USA – 1 -2 -1 -1 -2 -4 -1, -1; 13
2. Enterprise (US-27), Clayton & Nancy Deutsch, Newport, RI, USA – 3 -4 -3 -3 -1 -1 -3 -2; 20 3. Courageous (US-26), Ralph Isham / Steve Glascock / Alexander Auersperg / Ward Marsh, Newport, RI, USA – 2 -1 -2 -4 -4 -2 -4 -3; 22 4. Victory ’83 (K-22), Dennis Williams, Hobe Sound, FL, USA – 4 -6 -4 -2 -3 -3 -2 -4; 28
5. Intrepid (US-22), Jack Curtin, Toronto, Ont, CAN – 6 -3 -5 -6 -6 -7 -5 -5; 43 6. Freedom (US-30), Charles Robertson, Guilford, CT, USA – 5 -5 -6 -5 -5 -5 -7 -6 ; 44 7. Defender (US-33), Dick Enersen, San Rafael, CA, USA – 7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -6 -6 -8; 55 8. Lionheart (K-18), Harry Graves, Grand Isle, VT, USA – 8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 ; 65
12mR – Traditional (4 Boats) 1. Columbia (US-16), Kevin Hegarty / Anthony Chiurco , Newport, RI, USA – 1 -2 -2 -1 -3 -1 -2 -1; 13 2. American Eagle (US-21), Eagle 2019 Syndicate , Middletown, RI, USA – 2 -1 -1 -3 -2 -3 -1 -2; 15 3. Nefertiti (US-19), Jon Sears Wullschleger , Sarasota, FL, USA – 3 -3 -3 -2 -1 -2 -3 3- ; 20 4. Easterner (US-18), Scott Bernard , Annapolis, MD, USA – 5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5; 40
12mR – Vintage (4 Boats) 1. Nyala (US-12), Mauro Pelaschier / Patrizio Bertelli , Arezzo, ITA – 1 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1;9 2. Onawa (US-6), Jim Blanusha / Steven Gewirz / Louis Girard / Earl McMillen / Mark Watson, Newport, RI, USA – 2 -1 -3 -2 -2 -4 -2 -2; 18 3. Blue Marlin (FIN-1), Henrik Andersin, Kauniainen, Uusimaa, FIN – 3 -3 -2 -3 -3 -2 -3-3; 22 4. Vema III (N-11), Johan Troye, Oslo, Norway, NOR – 4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -3 -4 -4; 31
12mR- Spirit (2 Boats) 1. America II (US-42), Scott Curtis, New York, NY, USA – 3 -1 -2 -1 -1 -3 -1 -2 ; 14
2. America II (US-46), Michael Fortenbaugh, Jersey City, NJ, USA – 1 -2 -1 -2 -2 -3 -2 -1; 14
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL 12 METRE CLASS
The 112 year-old International 12 Metre Class encompasses a living history of racing yacht design by the world’s foremost naval architects including Olin Stephens, Clinton Crane, William Fife III, Philip Rhodes, Johan Anker, Ben Lexcen and more who pushed their designs to the very limits of innovation. The resulting boats represented the pinnacle of yacht development from 1907-1987 for the highest levels of international sailing competition– the Olympic Games (1908-1920) and the America’s Cup (1958-1987). www.12mrclass.com
12 Metre World Championship:
Mixing It Up on Day Three
NEWPORT, R.I. (July 11, 2019) – Two races in 11-14 knot breezes today proved that winning will be no easy task at the 2019 12 Metre World Championship hosted by Ida Lewis Yacht Club and organized by the International Twelve Metre Association’s (ITMA) Americas Fleet. Champions will be crowned in five divisions on Saturday after the completion of a nine-race series (weather permitting) that started on Tuesday in Newport, R.I. The fleet of 21 12 Metres from six nations sailed in the “upper Bay” north of the iconic Pell Bridge instead of “outside” on Rhode Island Sound where it was sailed for the first two days of the regatta.
The Grand Prix and Modern Divisions both saw extremely close racing that translated into slimmer margins on the scoreboard between first- and second-place positions.
Clockwise from left: XII (KA-10) aerial; Challenge XII in action; New Zealand (KZ-3); and Enterprise (US-27) at the 12 Metre Worlds on Day Three. (Photo Credit: Ian Roman)
Enterprise (US-27), helmed by Clay Deutsch of Newport, R.I. won both races in the Modern Division to close the gap on leader Challenge XII (KA-10),owned and helmed by Jack LeFort of Jamestown, R.I. “In our morning meeting where we discuss goals for the day, I told our team ‘right now, the regatta is not half over, but tonight it will be more than half over, so we’ve got to scoop up some points,’” said Deutsch after racing. “We talked about how to sail the boat finer. We didn’t have enough coordination between the helm and the crew on main and jib, so we really worked on that today. It’s also amazing how your sailing IQ goes up when there’s flat water and breeze!”
Deutsch, who chartered Enterprise from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Sailing Foundation and whose team has not had as much time in the boat as LeFort’s, called Challenge XII the gold-standard boat. “We’re very much alive and still in it, but they are still in the driver’s seat.”
LeFort described Challenge XII finishing almost overlapped with Enterprise in the first race and how it wound up fourth in the second race. “We were approaching the first weather mark together with Enterprise when our jib sheet got caught in the traveler winch,” he said. “We had to take the top off the winch and by then everyone was gone.” Once its spinnaker was flying, Challenge XII fought its way back up through the fleet. It has a four-point lead over Enterprise, which is tied on point score with Courageous (US-26), which is in third overall.
It was also moving day for Maggie and Gunther Buerman’s New Zealand (KZ-3) which posted a 1-2 today in the Grand Prix Division with Brad Read and Lexi Gahagan co-skippering. That closed the scoring gap to one point with Danish leader Legacy (KZ-5), which finished 3-3 today and was skippered by Thomas Andersen, with Jesper Bank calling tactics.
“We’ve been going well, but we weren’t getting the first shift off the line the last two days,” said Read, who also calls tactics on New Zealand. “The good news is we don’t think we’ve done our best sailing yet on KZ-3.”
Also in the Grand Prix Division, Kookaburra II (KA-12), a second entry owned and skippered by Patrizio Bertelli with Brazil’s Torben Grael on the helm, lost its outhaul in the first race and came back to finish second, then won the second race and currently sits in third overall.
Meanwhile, in the Traditional Division Columbia (US-16), owned and helmed by Kevin Hegarty of Newport, R.I. and skippered by Anthony Chiurco of Princeton, N.J. posted finishes of 3-1 today to hold a two-point lead over American Eagle (US-21), sailed by the Eagle 2019 Syndicate, which finished 2-3. Owned and skippered by Jon Sears Wullschleger of Sarasota, Fla., Nefertiti (US-19) is in third overall and had the best showing of the day, winning the first race and taking second in race two.
Nyala (US-12),owned by Italy’s Patrizio Bertelli and skippered by Mauro Pelaschier won both of its races to dominate the Vintage Division. It holds a seven-point lead over Onawa (US-6), which is being sailed by Jim Blanusha, Steven Gewirz, Louis Girard, Earl McMillen, and Mark Watson of Newport, R.I. Onawa finished 2-4 today.
In the Spirit Division, America II (US-42), helmed by Scott Curtis of New York, N.Y. is now ahead on a tiebreaker with America II (US-46), helmed by Michael Fortenbaugh of Jersey City, N.J.
From left: Intrepid (US-22) skipper Jack Curtin talks with Blue Marlin (FIN-1) skipper Henrik Andersin at Nordic Night; Nordic Night gathering (Photo Credit: SallyAnne Santos)
Last night’s “Nordic Night,” an informal gathering featuring Scandinavian appetizers and aquavit, hosted sailors dockside at Sail Newport’s Sailing Center Headquarters immediately after racing. Tonight is the much-anticipated 12 Metre Dinner Dance at the Marble House, one of the mansions that line Newport’s Bellevue Avenue.
Racing resumes tomorrow at 11 a.m.
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(results below)
2019 12 Metre Worlds
Day Three (July 11)
12mR – Grand Prix (4 Boats) 1. Legacy (KZ-5), Thomas Andersen / Jesper Bank, Munkebo, Fyn, Den – 1 -1 -1 -1 -3 -3 ; 10 2. New Zealand (KZ-3), Gunther & Maggie Buerman, Newport, RI, USA – 2 -2 -2 -2 -1 -2 ; 11 3. Kookaburra II (KA-12), Torben Grael / Patrizio Bertelli, Arezzo, ITA – 3 -3 -3 -3 -2 -1 ; 15 4. Kiwi Magic (KZ-7), Johan Blach Petersen, Aarhus C, DEN – 4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -4 ; 24
12mR – Modern (8 Boats) 1. Challenge XII (KA-10), Jack LeFort, Jamestown, RI, USA – 1 -2 -1 -1 -2 -4; 11
2. Enterprise (US-27), Clayton & Nancy Deutsch, Newport, RI, USA – 3 -4 -3 -3 -1 -1 ; 15 3. Courageous (US-26), Ralph Isham / Steve Glascock / Alexander Auersperg / Ward Marsh, Newport, RI, USA – 2 -1 -2 -4 -4 -2; 15 4. Victory ’83 (K-22), Dennis Williams, Hobe Sound, FL, USA – 4 -6 -4 -2 -3 -3 ; 22
6. Freedom (US-30), Charles Robertson, Guilford, CT, USA – 5 -5 -6 -5 -5 -5 ; 31 5. Intrepid (US-22), Jack Curtin, Toronto, Ont, CAN – 6 -3 -5 -6 -6 -7; 33 7. Defender (US-33), Dick Enersen, San Rafael, CA, USA – 7 -7 -7 -7 -7 -6 ; 41 8. Lionheart (K-18), Harry Graves, Grand Isle, VT, USA – 8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 ; 50
12mR – Traditional (4 Boats) 1. Columbia (US-16), Kevin Hegarty / Anthony Chiurco , Newport, RI, USA – 1 -2 -2 -1 -3 -1 ; 10 2. American Eagle (US-21), Eagle 2019 Syndicate , Middletown, RI, USA – 2 -1 -1 -3 -2 -3 ; 12 3. Nefertiti (US-19), Jon Sears Wullschleger , Sarasota, FL, USA – 3 -3 -3 -2 -1 -2 ; 14 4. Easterner (US-18), Scott Bernard , Annapolis, MD, USA – 5 -5 -5 -5 -5 -5 ; 30
12mR – Vintage (4 Boats) 1. Nyala (US-12), Mauro Pelaschier / Patrizio Bertelli , Arezzo, ITA – 1 -2 -1 -1 -1 -1 ; 7 2. Onawa (US-6), Jim Blanusha / Steven Gewirz / Louis Girard / Earl McMillen / Mark Watson, Newport, RI, USA – 2 -1 -3 -2 -2 -4 ; 14 3. Blue Marlin (FIN-1), Henrik Andersin, Kauniainen, Uusimaa, FIN – 3 -3 -2 -3 -3 -2 ; 16 4. Vema III (N-11), Johan Troye, Oslo, Norway, NOR – 4 -4 -4 -4 -4 -3 ; 23
12mR- Spirit (2 Boats) 1. America II (US-42), Scott Curtis, New York, NY, USA – 3 -1 -2 -1 -2 -3 ; 11
2. America II (US-46), Michael Fortenbaugh, Jersey City, NJ, USA – 1 -2 -1 -2 -1 -3 ; 11
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL 12 METRE CLASS
The 112 year-old International 12 Metre Class encompasses a living history of racing yacht design by the world’s foremost naval architects including Olin Stephens, Clinton Crane, William Fife III, Philip Rhodes, Johan Anker, Ben Lexcen and more who pushed their designs to the very limits of innovation. The resulting boats represented the pinnacle of yacht development from 1907-1987 for the highest levels of international sailing competition– the Olympic Games (1908-1920) and the America’s Cup (1958-1987). www.12mrclass.com
12 Metre World Championship:
Lead Changes in Three Divisions on Day Two
NEWPORT, R.I. (July 10, 2019) – Last night at Gurney’s Marina and Resort, 400 hundred sailors representing six countries, joined sponsors and race organizers at the elegantly-staged Welcome Reception for the12 Metre World Championship hosted by Ida Lewis Yacht Club and organized by the International Twelve Metre Association’s (ITMA) Americas Fleet. Today, the same sailors took to the waters of Rhode Island Sound for their second day of racing in a five-day, nine race series that has the eyes of all the sailing world trained upon it.
A postponement on the water pushed a scheduled 11 a.m. start back to 1:15, but it was worth the wait when a barely-there breeze picked up to 8-12 knots. Each of five divisions sailed two races to add to their two-race score line from yesterday, and new leaders emerged in three divisions.
Columbia (US-16) at the 12 Metre Worlds on Day Two. (Photo Credit: Ian Roman)
In Vintage Division, Nyala (US-12), the second of two Italian teams fielded by Luna Rossa Syndicate head Patrizio Bertelli (the other isKookaburra II (KA-12) in Grand Prix Division), replaced Onawa (US-6) at the top of the scoreboard by posting two bullets in each of the twice-around windward/leeward races. Skippered by Mauro Pelaschier, Nyala won last weekend’s 12 Metre Pre-Worlds.
In Modern Division, Challenge XII (KA-10), skippered by Jack LeFort of Jamestown, R.I., also won both races to finish ahead of yesterday’s leader Courageous (US-26) in cumulative standings, while in Traditional Division Columbia (US-16), helmed by owner Kevin Hegarty of Newport, R.I. and skippered by Anthony Chiurco of Princeton, N.J. finished with a slim lead over American Eagle(US-21); only one point separates them going into tomorrow’s racing.
Challenge XII (KA-10) at the 12 Metre Worlds on Day Two. (Photo Credit: Ian Roman)
“It’s the closest racing we’ve had in a long time,” said Hegarty. “In the first race we edged out American Eagle by only one boat length at the finish.” Hegarty was project manager for a refit on Columbia in 2001, then served as captain of her for six years before he bought her because he loved her so much. “I consider myself not so much her owner as her caretaker,” he said. “She’ll be around a lot longer than me. I’ve been sailing in Newport a long time and I’ve never seen anything like what was out there today; I wish I was on a spectator boat to see the beauty of these boats all together.”
Legacy (KZ-5),helmed by Thomas Andersen with fellow Dane Jesper Bank serving as tactician, continued to dominate today and has a perfect score line going into tomorrow, but with five races to go, second-place New Zealand (KZ-3) has a chance to catch her.
Welcome Reception for the 12 Metre World Championship at Gurney’s Marina and Resort. Top right: Skippers from 22 boats gather for a photo opportunity with Newport Mayor Jamie Bova and Ida Lewis Yacht Club Commodore, Dan Faria. (Photo Credit: Ian Roman)
In 12 Metre Spirit Division, America II (US-46), skippered by Michael Fortenbaugh of Jersey City, N.J. remains the leader over its single opponent America II (US-42). Both boats are from the New York Harbor Sailing Foundation, also based in Jersey City, and are raced by members of the Manhattan Sailing Club.
“We’re just amateurs,” said Fortenbaugh, “and we thought it would be better for everybody if we could match race, so we wouldn’t interfere with anyone. We consider ourselves as good guests.”
Fortenbaugh also reflected on the significance of the fleet that sailed today. “The reason we acquired these boats is because we think this class is the most important class in American yachting history, and we want to preserve these boats for the next generation.”
(end)
(results below)
2019 12 Metre Worlds
Day Two (July 10)
12mR – Grand Prix (4 Boats) 1. Legacy, Thomas Andersen / Jesper Bank, Munkebo, Fyn, Den – 1 -1 -1 -1 ; 4 2. New Zealand, Gunther & Maggie Buerman, Newport, RI, USA – 2 -2 -2 -2 ; 8 3. Kookaburra II, Torben Grael / Patrizio Bertelli, Arezzo, ITA – 3 -3 -3 -3 ; 12 4. Kiwi Magic, Johan Blach Petersen, Aarhus C, DEN – 4 -4 -4 -4 ; 16
12mR – Modern (8 Boats) 1. Challenge XII, Jack LeFort, Jamestown, RI, USA – 1 -2 -1 -1 ; 5 2. Courageous, Ralph Isham / Steve Glascock / Alexander Auersperg / Ward Marsh, Newport, RI, USA – 2 -1 -2 -4 ; 9 3. Enterprise, Clayton & Nancy Deutsch, Newport, RI, USA – 3 -4 -3 -3 ; 13 4. Victory ’83, Dennis Williams, Hobe Sound, FL, USA – 4 -6 -4 -2 ; 16 5. Intrepid, Jack Curtin, Toronto, Ont, CAN – 6 -3 -5 -6 ; 20 6. Freedom, Charles Robertson, Guilford, CT, USA – 5 -5 -6 -5 ; 21 7. Defender, Dick Enersen, San Rafael, CA, USA – 7 -7 -7 -7 ; 28 8. Lionheart, Harry Graves, Grand Isle, VT, USA – 8 -8 -8 -8 ; 32
12mR – Traditional (4 Boats) 1. Columbia, Kevin Hegarty / Anthony Chiurco , Newport, RI, USA – 1 -2 -2 -1 ; 6 2. American Eagle, Eagle 2019 Syndicate , Middletown, RI, USA – 2 -1 -1 -3 ; 7 3. Nefertiti, Jon Sears Wullschleger , Sarasota, FL, USA – 3 -3 -3 -2 ; 11 4. Easterner, Scott Bernard , Annapolis, MD, USA – 5 -5 -5 -5 ; 20
12mR – Vintage (4 Boats) 1. Nyala, Mauro Pelaschier / Patrizio Bertell , Arezzo, ITA – 1 -2 -1 -1 ; 5 2. Onawa, Jim Blanusha / Steven Gewirz / Louis Girard / Earl McMillen / Mark Watson, Newport, RI, USA – 2 -1 -3 -2 ; 8 3. Blue Marlin, Henrik Andersin, Kauniainen, Uusimaa, FIN – 3 -3 -2 -3 ; 11 4. Vema III, Johan Troye, Oslo, Norway, NOR – 4 -4 -4 -4 ; 16
12mR- Spirit (2 Boats) 1. America II, Michael Fortenbaugh, Jersey City, NJ, USA – 1 -2 -1 -2 ; 6 2. America II, Scott Curtis, New York, NY, USA – 3 -1 -2 -1 ; 7
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL 12 METRE CLASS
The 112 year-old International 12 Metre Class encompasses a living history of racing yacht design by the world’s foremost naval architects including Olin Stephens, Clinton Crane, William Fife III, Philip Rhodes, Johan Anker, Ben Lexcen and more who pushed their designs to the very limits of innovation. The resulting boats represented the pinnacle of yacht development from 1907-1987 for the highest levels of international sailing competition– the Olympic Games (1908-1920) and the America’s Cup (1958-1987). www.12mrclass.com
