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OAKCLIFF TRAINEES TO RACE HISTORIC 12 METRE COURAGEOUS (US-26) IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
OYSTER BAY, NY, USA (March 23, 2023)– Oakcliff Sailing will campaign the historic 12 Metre Courageous (US-26) for the 2023 World Championship in Newport, RI, Oakcliff executive director Dawn Riley announced today. The boat will be raced by a young and diverse team of sailors selected from Oakcliff’s Acorn and Sapling training programs.
“This will be a bit of a David-and-Goliath situation with our young, aspiring sailors racing 12 Metres against the best of the best from around the world,” said Riley, a dual hall-of-famer. “Most of our sailors and some of their parents were not even alive the last time this class competed for the America’s Cup.” 12 Metres were used from 1958 to 1987.
Iconic two-time America’s Cup winning Twelve Metre yacht Courageous (US-26) racing to weather on Narragansett Bay. photo: SallyAnne Santos, (c)2015 WindlassCreative
“Courageous (US-26) has meant so much to the American sailing community and to Newport in particular,” said Kimbra Walter, who with her husband Mark owns Courageous and will provide support for the forthcoming campaign. “We feel a responsibility to use Courageous’ next chapter to help the world of sailing gain a wider and more diverse following. We want to offer more young women and people from every background the opportunity to experience the joy of sailing—and to be able to turn it into a profession. We’re grateful to be working toward this alongside Dawn Riley, a legend in the sport and a model for our efforts.”
Courageous (US-26) won the America’s Cup in 1974 with Ted Hood and Dennis Connor on board and again in 1977 skippered by Ted Turner with Gary Jobson as tactician, becoming the second and last boat to successfully defend the Cup. Jobson has agreed to share his experience and insight with the Oakcliff team this summer. Courageous also holds a prominent place in The Sailing Museum and the America’s Cup Hall of Fame in Newport.
“Having this team onboard Courageous will do so much to continue to move the conversation forward and break new ground in ethnic and gender diversity” said Heather Rusham, executive director of The Sailing Museum. She added, “We look forward to working with Oakcliff and the Walters to showcase what is possible to all visitors and members of our community.”
Oakcliff is located in Oyster Bay, New York and is a workforce training center for those wishing to explore a professional career in the sport of sailing and the associated marine industry. Need-based scholarships are available. An additional America True Scholarship is reserved for sailors from community sailing programs. More than 90% of Oakcliff graduates are employed, and many are leaders in their field, playing roles in the America’s Cup, preparing for the Olympics or racing around the world.
Applications are open for Oakcliff’s Acorn and Sapling training programs, which are open to anyone 15 or older with an interest in sailing. To learn more about the Oakcliff programs or to apply, visit https://www.oakcliffsailing.org/programs/acorn-programs or call (516) 802-0368.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL 12 METRE ASSOCIATION (ITMA)
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).
Editors’ Note: To receive the 12 Metre Worlds blog, sign up here: https://12mRworlds.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Barby MacGowan, Media Pro International, +1 (401) 849-0220 or Peggy Hersam, 12 Metre Yacht Club, +1 (203) 807-1066
Legendary SAilboats Tied to America’s Cup Will Provide Spectacular Racing
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, USA (December 8, 2022)– Next summer in Newport, R.I., an exciting schedule of competitive sailing will be punctuated by the 2023 12mR World Championship, an International Twelve Metre Association (ITMA) event organized by the 12 Metre Yacht Club Newport Station (official home of ITMA’s Americas 12mR fleet) in partnership with Organizing Authority Ida Lewis Yacht Club. With racing set to take place July 31-August 5, an international fleet of 12 Metres will converge on Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound much as they did in the years between 1958 and 1983 when many of these awe-inspiring sailboats competed here for a chance to become a contender in the renowned America’s Cup and, more recently, when they vied for class titles at their 2019 12mR Worlds. (The most recent 12mR World Championship was held in 2021 in Helsinki, Finland.)
2019 12mR World Champion (Traditional Division) Columbia (US-16) will compete in the 2023 12mR World Championship set for next summer. Photo Credit: Chris Tucker
“It’s very special that this event is returning to Newport, especially because of the rich history this city shares with the America’s Cup,” said Peggy Hersam, Executive Director of the 12 Metre Yacht Club Newport Station. “A large concentration of 12 Metres, many of which have ties to the Cup, make their home in Newport; however, the fleet is worldwide and going strong. It will be amazing for visitors and locals alike to encounter these iconic boats tuning up for and competing in this most important event.”
Leading up to the 2023 Worlds, the fleet will be busy racing a full schedule of regattas and practices out of Newport, including two class-sanctioned regattas, the New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta, June 9-11 and the Sail Newport Regatta, July 7-9 (serving as the 12 Metre Pre-Worlds). The fleet will be divided into five divisions — Grand Prix, Modern, Traditional, Vintage, and “Spirit of Tradition”— and have healthy representation in each, including returning 2019 World Champions Columbia (US-16, Traditional Division) and Challenge XII (KA-10, Modern Division). Other teams expected to compete include America II (US-42), America II (US-46), American Eagle (US-21), Courageous (US-26), Defender (US-33), Enterprise (US-27), Freedom (US-30), Gleam (US-11), Intrepid (US-22), Nefertiti (US-19), Onawa (US-6), and Weatherly (US-17).
Weatherly’s owner/skipper Steve Eddleston, who also serves as Commodore of the 12 Metre Yacht Club Newport Station, said his work will be cut out for him. “It’s always exhilarating to be out on the water with our beautiful boat and our skilled and determined team sailing against other world famous 12 Metre yachts of such historic distinction,” said Eddleston. “To paraphrase John F. Kennedy from 60 years ago when he spoke in Newport about the America’s Cup duel between Weatherly and Gretel, ‘We are most certainly racing against each other, but we are also racing with each other against the wind and the sea.’ Nothing comes close to competing in a 12 Metre World event!”
Enterprise (US-27) and 2019 12mR World Champion (Modern Division) Challenge XII (KA-10) vie for position while Freedom (US-30) nips at their heels during the 2019 12mR World Championship in Newport, R.I. All three 12 Metres will be returning to Newport for the upcoming 2023 Worlds. Photo Credit: Ian Roman
A base camp for the teams during the five days of Worlds competition will be established at the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS). Organizing Authority Ida Lewis Yacht Club will provide another stellar Race Committee and support volunteers for a variety of posts during the regatta, while a cadre of all-star international judges will fly in for this prestigious event.
Social events are planned for every evening of the Worlds, including the Opening Ceremonies, a ‘Legends’ Dinner at the Clarke Cooke House, post-racing socials, and an Awards Gala at IYRS. The 12 Metre Yacht Club will further involve the community through its partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Rhode Island, giving underserved children a chance to learn about the boats, their history, and the crews and science that drive them.
Spectator and sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact Peggy Hersam, 12 Metre Yacht Club Executive Director, 12myachtclub@gmail.com, +1 (203) 807-1066.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL 12 METRE ASSOCIATION (ITMA)
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).
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)
(end)
(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
