2024 Worlds Competitors

FRANCE (F-1) : MARC BONDUELLE, FR

F-1, designed to the Third Rule AC by Andre’ Mauric was France’s first 12mR and would-be challenger for the America’s Cup in 1970, 1974 and 1977. Built in Pontarlier in France, her construction of three-ply mahogany has allowed her hull to remain in perfect condition. In 1992, when declared a national historic monument, F-1 was restored to her original 1970 livery as when first launched at La Trinite-sur-Mer. Since 2013, France regularly sails with 3 generations of crew passing along skills and heritage according to the original wish of Marcel Bich—her primary sponsor and benefactor. France is the property of the AFCA, in partnership with the Yacht Club de France. For the 2024 World Championship she will be helmed by Marc Bonduelle.

CRUSADER (K-24) : Richard Matthews, UK

Britain’s challenger for 1987 America’s Cup in Fremantle, K-24 finished 6th in the 13 yacht Louis Vuitton challenger series. Acquired from the British syndicate in 1989, Richard Matthews has owned Crusader for 35 years. In the 1990’s Crusader was converted for offshore racing, winning the UK East Coast offshore championship and took part in 4 Fastnet races. She returned to 12mR trim for the 2001 Jubilee Regatta in Cowes and has since been laid up until 2024. Eight of her crew, including Richard’s wife, Sarah, come from Richard’s home town of West Mersea and have little 12mR experience, while tactician, Andy Green, now based in Newport RI, is a regular 12mR sailor. At the 2024 12mR World Championship, K-24 will be skippered by her owner, Richard Matthews, representing the United Kingdom.

FRENCH KISS (F-7) : CHRISTOPHE BABULE, FR

Designed as a 3rd Rule AC 12mR by P. Briand with P. Perrier and D. Chanumette she was the only new Twelve built for the 1987 challenge. Skipper / Manager Marc Pajot was pleased with her speed; she was original and effective at higher wind ranges. Throughout the intervening years, particularly from 1995-1999, F-7 filled trophy cases with prestigious awards including the St. Tropez Rolex Cup (3x) and the Coppa d’Europa. Purchased by Christophe Babule in 2021– it can be said that F-7’s return to the Mediterranean race course sparked a resurgence in the now growing 12mR Southern European fleet we see today. Babule and crew are having good results and ready to race at the Worlds. Most recently, she took second place at the Toulon-Provence Regatta and is in a strong position on the Coupe de France leaderboard.

kiwi magic (KZ-7) : CHRISTOFFER BLACH PETERSEN, DN

Designed by Farr/ Holland/ Davidson, KZ-7, was last in the evolution of “plastic fantastics” superseding KZ-3 and KZ-5 for Team New Zealand in the 1987 America’s Cup competition held at Fremantle, Australia. Until recently, owned and skippered by Johan Blach Petersen, son Christoffer with this strong team of family and friends continue to campaign KZ-7 this season in his memory. They are already making Johan proud, moving Kiwi Magic up the leaderboard in the 55th Coupe de France Series by capturing a first-place finish at the Toulon Provence Regatta and second place at the Pre-Worlds.

kookaburra II (KA-12) : patrizio bertelli, iT & torben grael, BR

Kookaburra II (KA-12) was the second of 3 “Kookas” designed according to the Third Rule AC by John Swarbrick for competition in the 1987 Americas Cup in Perth, Australia. The three yachts looked elegant with more freeboard and longer overhangs than more traditional 12mRs. Since 2000, Kooka II has been owned, meticulously cared for and raced by Patrizio Bertelli. For the 2024 World Championship, she will again be skippered by Torben Grael. Coming off of a perfect regatta to win the12mR Pre-Worlds, this team will be looking to better their 3rd place finish at the 2019 Worlds at Newport. The boat is fast, the crew expertly selected and seasoned, KA-12 may well be the Grand Prix to beat at Porquerolles.

Designed by Iain Murray & John Swarbrick, Kookaburra III (KA-15) was the third of 3 “Kookas” and Perth’s hometown hopeful for the 26th edition of the America’s Cup. There was some debate if KA-15 represented a marked improvement over Kooka II; but in any case, she was selected and won the 1987 Defender Trials. More recently, under the ownership of Maurizio Vecchiola, she has been sailing and racing in the Mediterranean CIM circuit. For the 2024 World Championship, KA-15 will be skippered by Olympic medalist, Jesper Banks (DN) who helmed Legacy (KZ-5) to victory at the 2019 Worlds at Newport. This reigning World Champion skipper will face more Grand Prix competitors in Porquerolles with a boat that has not recently been active on the 12mR racecourse. Soon we will see what KA-15 can do when racing again with her 12mR sister-ships with an Olympian at the helm.

South Australia (KA-8) : Yann DELPLACE, FR

Designed by Ben Lexcen and skippered by Sir James Hardy, South Australia (KA-8) was one of Australia’s six would-be America’s Cup defenders for the 1987 Perth match-up. A sister-ship to Australia III (KA-9) she performed best in light air so ultimately was not chosen to take on the “Freemantle Doctor.” In 2001, while skippered by Russell Coutts, KA-8 won the 12mR World Championship held during the America’s Cup Jubilee at Cowes—the largest gathering of 12mRs to date.  Since 2023, South Australia has been owned by Christophe Babule, who purchased her to race with his first 12mR, French Kiss (F-7). After a speedy refit and some respectable results in late ’23- early ’24 racing, KA-8 is primed for the 2024 World Championship. Skippered by Jan DelPlace (FR) she finished 3rd at both the Toulon-Provence Regatta and 2024 Pre-Worlds at St. Tropez last month.

FLICA II (K-14) : Christopher Bunning, BVI

Designed by Laurent Giles to the 12mR Third Rule, Flica II (K-14) was among the last yachts to slide down the rails at the 140-year-old W. Fife & Son boatyard. Arguably Flica II (K-14) was the first 12mR built for the modern America’s Cup era. After some “tuning-up” to serve as a trail horse for Sceptre (K-17) for the 1958 America’s Cup—the first sailed in 12mRs—she won the 12mR Class at Cowes Week. K-14 enjoyed racing success throughout the early 1960s and won the Royal Thames Yacht Club Queen’s Cup. She continued to serve as trail horse to the 1964 British challengers, Sovereign (K-12) and Kurrewa V (K-3), now Ikra II.  Flica II has been under the stewardship of Alexander Falk (DE) since 2001 when she had a thorough refit that restored her interior layout and made numerous improvements to the hull.  She has since been meticulously maintained and continues to compete successfully in both the Baltic and Mediterranean12mR fleets. With her distinctive black hull and sails she is a striking standout in the Vintage division. For the 2024 Worlds she will be sailed by Christian Bunning representing the British Virgin Islands.

Jenetta (K-1) : Thomas Müller, DE

From the drafting table of renowned Scots naval architect Alfred Mylne and launched in 1939, design #395 was one of four 12mRs commissioned by Sir William Burton. Jenetta (K-1) joined the English 12mR racing scene at Cowes along with Tomahawk (K-13), Flica II (K-14) and Vim (US-15). With her long waterline K-1 was fast, but Vim with Harold Vanderbilt at the helm was nearly unbeatable. Jenetta prevailed on only one occasion winning a 27nm race by just 2 seconds. Subsequently, K-1 passed between a few owners and converted to ketch rig. Her condition progressively declined until she sank into Pitt Lake where she remained until 2009. Lucky for her, she was the third 12mR brought back to life by Oliver Berking’s Robbe & Berking Shipyard. Although only her lead keel, some planking and end sections of her deck and hull were saved, original Mylne designs were used to rebuild parts that were irretrievably lost. Since her “re-birth” in 2019, she has proved to be as fast as originally envisioned by Mylne. With her long sleek waterline and unique tartan* plaid topsides (representing the University of Glasgow, Mylne’s alma mater) she is a real head-turner! Now owned and well-raced by Thomas Müller (DE) she finished second at the recent Toulon-Provence.

LA SPINA (I-1) : michael creach, iT

In 1929, Marquess Franco Spinola, a member of one of the most prominent families of Genoa and Admiral of the Military Navy, commissioned Vincenzo Vittorio Baglietto to design and build the first Italian 12mR, she was named La Spina. Through 1938, this 2nd Rule 12mR was the flagship of the Italian Yacht Club. In 2007, a total restoration project began, returning La Spina to her original splendor. In February 2019, La Spina moved to Barcelona with the intention of sailing again in the most prestigious regattas of the Mediterranean Classic Sailing circuit. La Spina is owned by Classic Yacht LTD and will be skippered by Michael Creach (IT).

Nini Anker (N-15) : Christopher Avenarius, DE

Famed Norwegian designer Johan Anker’s Design #434, now named Nini Anker (N-15) was the last of 20 Twelves conceived by the prolific naval architect in 1939. The onset of World War II and Anker’s subsequent passing prevented his ultimate design from being realized at that time. It was not until 2010 that Erik Tingleff Larsen commissioned Robbe & Berking Classics to build the yacht based on original plans retrieved from the Johan Anker Foundation collection at Oslo’s Norwegian Maritime Museum. After the 3-year build –according to the Third Rule– Johan Anker’s ultimate masterpiece was the first wooden 12mR to be launched in decades. Finally, after 81 years, Nini Anker (N-15) made her racing debut at Flensberg in 2020. Skippered by owner Christoph Avenarius (DE) she is always competitive and recently finished a close second to Vim (US-15) at the 2024 Pre-Worlds.

NORTHERN LIGHT (US-14) : Hans Eliasson, SW

Northern Light (US-14) was designed to the Third Rule by Olin Stephens in 1938; just his second 12mR attempt. Later renamed Nereus, she was a consistent competitor at NYYC events. In 1958, she served as trial horse to America’s Cup winner Columbia (US-16) and in 1964 for Constellation (US-20). After two more changes of ownership, the restoration of her original name, and some interior rebuilding she was inadvertently sunk at a dock in Lake Michigan. In 1984 Robert Tiedeman, reclaimed, restored and sailed her alongside stablemate Gleam (US-11), the two were a familiar sight operating in charter service and racing on Narragansett Bay. Her last World Championship appearance was at Newport in 2009, where she placed second. After years of continuous service, she was sent to the shed to await a new owner and a well-deserved refit. Hans Eliasson (SW) purchased US-14 and shipped her to Sweden for restoration. In 2020, she was relaunched at Marstrand looking as beautiful as ever and in top racing trim. After a 9-year absence from the race course, helmed by Olympic sailor Magnus Holmberg (SW), Northern Light won the 2022 Robbe & Berking Sterling Cup.

THEA (D-1) : robert de Haer, Dn

Designed by prolific naval architect Johan Anker, Santa (N-4) as she was first named, was built according to a proposed S-Class formula in 1918. When the Second International Rule was adopted in 1919, her design was then modified to conform. Thea (D-1) has played a key role in the renaissance of Vintage Twelves sailing in the Baltics. Originally Norwegian, she has been in Danish ownership since 1970. For many years, she was the representative of the 12mR Class in Denmark. In 1998, she was purchased by Hans Michael Jebsen and Patrick Howaldt. Remarkably, Thea has been so well cared for by her owners throughout the years she has never needed a complete restoration! Now at 106 years young, she is the grand dame of the 12mR fleet racing at Porquerolles. Skippered by Robert de Haer (DN), Thea finished third at the recent Toulon-Provence regatta and currently holds 3rd place in the 55th Coupe de France Race Series.

VIM (US-15) : Patrick Howaldt, DN & Helmuth Hennig, HK

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens in 1938 for two-time AC (J-Class) winner Harold “Mike” Vanderbilt, many consider Vim (US-15) to be the best of the last Pre-War 12mRs built. Even at 20 years old, she remained so competitive that the New York YC considered her as a possible defender in the 1958 America’s Cup when the competition for the Auld Mug resumed in 12mRs. Now owned and well-raced by Patrick Howaldt, Vim captured the top spot at the 2021 12mR Worlds held at Helsinki, Finland. This season US-15  has already taken the top podium spot at both the Toulon-Provence Regatta and 2024 12mR Pre-Worlds.  Although perennial Vintage 12mR World Champion Nyala (US-12) will not make an appearance at Porquerolles, the fleet is stacked with extremely competitive teams to challenge this reigning World Champion skippered by Helmuth Hennig, representing the Royal Yacht Club of Hong Kong.