HELSINKI, FI (August 14, 2021) – The beautiful Vintage 12mR fleet has now arrived in Helsinki, FI where they received a warm and eagerly anticipated welcome at NJK. The docks of the historic Club are busy with final preparations and measurements for the 2021 EVLI 12mR World Championship which will commence on Tuesday. Please see the complete schedule here.
The Vintage 12mR fleet gathered on the dock at NJK for the 2021 EVlI 12mR World Championship. ~ photo: SallyAnne Santos
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The Vintage 12mR fleet gathered on the dock at NJK for the 2021 EVlI 12mR World Championship. ~ photo: SallyAnne Santos
The Vintage 12mR fleet gathered on the dock at NJK for the 2021 EVlI 12mR World Championship. ~ photo: SallyAnne Santos
Jenetta (K-1) overlooking downtown Helsinki at the 2021 EVLI 12mR World Championship hosted by NJK. ~ photo: SallyAnne Santos
The Vintage 12mR fleet gathered on the dock at NJK for the 2021 EVlI 12mR World Championship. ~ photo: SallyAnne Santos
Blue Marlin (FIN-1), on the dock awaits compeition on her home waters at the 2021 EVLI 12mR World Championship hosted by NJK. ~ photo: SallyAnne Santos
The Vintage 12mR fleet gathered on the dock at NJK for the 2021 EVlI 12mR World Championship. ~ photo: SallyAnne Santos
Although sailed by a Danish-German crew, Vim (US-15) flies the US flag in honor of her original sail number here on the dock at NJK for the 2021 EVLI 12mR World Championship ~ photo: SallyAnne Santos
The Vintage 12mR fleet gathered on the dock at NJK for the 2021 EVlI 12mR World Championship. ~ photo: SallyAnne Santos
The Vintage 12mR fleet gathered on the dock at NJK for the 2021 EVlI 12mR World Championship. ~ photo: SallyAnne Santos
ABOUT NYLÄNDSKA JAKTKLUBBEN (NJK)
Founded in 1861, the Nyländska Jaktklubben, NJK is Finland’s premier yacht club as well as its oldest registered sports organization. NJK has been the forerunner of Finnish yacht racing culture and has a long history with the Metre Classes. The Clubhouse, located on the beautiful island of Blekholmen is situated in Helsinki’s South Harbour, adjacent to the city center with berths for 125 yachts. NJK accommodates their 2500+ members, berths 440 sailing yachts, 90 dinghies and 374 motorboats at their two main harbours in Helsinki as well as at an additional 10 outstations in the Finnish archipelago, with the most westerly on the Åland Islands.
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).
VIM (US-15) Claims Victory at KSSS Saltsjöbaden – Sandhamn Regatta
Vintage fleet on the starting line of the 12mR Pre-Worlds at KSSS Saltsjöbaden – Sandhamn Regatta. photo: Kim Weckström
12MR FLEET IS ON THE MOVE; NEXT STOP HELSINKI!
STOCKHOLM, SE (August 8, 2021): Thirty-knot winds kept the Vintage 12mR fleet on the dock and Vim (US-15) at the top of the leaderboard when Day Four of racing was cancelled at KSSS’s Saltsjöbaden – Sandhamn Regatta for Pre-Worlds honors.
Day One started with a coastal race sailed in moderate winds from Stockholm to Sandhamn. Nini Anker (N-1), Wings (K-15) and Vim (US-15) finished 1, 2 and 3 respectively just seconds apart after the nearly 3-hour distance race. Day Two’s shifty 5-9 knot breeze favored Vim who scored 1-1-(2) for the day with Nini Anker 2-2-(3) and Wings 3-(3)-1 close behind.
On Day Three, Vim (1-2-1-2) and Wings (2-1-2-1) swapped two firsts and two seconds each in the four windward-leeward races sailed. Nini Anker (3-3-3-3) held her ground in third place overall. Owner Christoph Avenarius said he is “happy with Nini’s boat speed, but plans to fine-tune crew performance with additional training prior to the Worlds.”
Mikael “Mikke” Stelander, skipper of Vanity V (K-5) whose team finished 4th overall noted: “KSSS made the correct decision to cancel the final day of racing; it is better to not risk breakdowns or injuries heading into the World Championship.” When back in Helsinki, Vanity V’s Finnish crew hopes their local knowledge will help to move them up in the standings.
Vim (US-15) owner and Vice President of the International Twelve Metre Association Patrick Howaldt said: “The Pre Worlds were extremely well organized by KSSS with immaculate race management in interesting and varying conditions giving the competition the best possible training experience.”
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
Competition Heats Up at KSSS Saltsjöbaden – Sandhamn Regatta
12mRs Vim (US-15) and Nini Anker (N-15) (with borrowed spinnaker DEN-12) racing downwind at the 12mR Pre-World Championship at KSSS Saltsjobaden – Sandhamn Regatta. photo: Kim Weckström
Vim (US-15) with narrow lead; Nini Anker (N-15) nipping at her heels
STOCKHOLM, SE (August 5, 2021): The World Championship fleet of Vintage 12mR yachts arrived at Stockholm (SE) earlier this week after traveling more than 600 nm on their own keels from Flensburg and Copenhagen. The six 12mRs are now competing at KSSS’s Saltsjöbaden – Sandhamn Regatta for Pre-Worlds honors.
Day One featured a coastal distance race sailed in moderate winds from Stockholm to Sandhamn through the spectacular archipelago to the historic sailing center of Sweden’s east coast. The 12mRs raced among a fleet of Swedish classics which included: the 73-ft, SK 150 Beatrice Aurore (S-1) the largest surviving Skerry Cruiser and Ballad (S-236), a 63-ft Sparkman & Stephens offshore racer. Class newcomer Nini Anker (N-1) and Wings (K-15) crossed the finish line in tandem after a nearly 3-hour race with Vim (US-15) just 29 seconds behind.
On Day Two, 3 Windward / Leeward races were sailed in a shifty 5-9 knot breeze that suited Vim (US-15) who won the day 1-1-(2). Nini Anker (N-15) scored a close second for the day with 2-2-(3) and Wings (K-15) took a daily third with 3-(3)-1. Though not immediately revealed by their results, the Finnish-chartered Vanity V (K-5) team also raced very well, matching long stretches with the top finishers.
Patrick Howaldt, Vim (US-15) owner and Vice President of the International Twelve Metre Association representing the Northern Europe fleet said he is pleased to have 2 “new” 12mR programs in the Baltic. “Racing has become increasingly intense and close – it will be even more so in Helsinki when Jenetta (K-1) joins the competitive fleet at the 2021 EVLI 12mR World Championship.“ He credited Vim’s early success in the Pre-Worlds to fine-tuning focused on improving US-15’s performance in light-air– conditions that he noted had previously proven challenging for this team.
The 103-year-old Thea (D-1), grand dame of the 12mR Class has added another 4 starts to her prolific racing history while keeping in step with her younger sisters on the racecourse. The exuberant Flica II (K-15) team, one of youngest in the history of the Class, has brought fun to the event both on and off the water. At the KSSS’s Lökholmen youth sailing center they entertained party-goers with an ad hoc 12mR rig-climbing competition and Zorba-style Greek dancing.
Two more days of racing will ensue in Sandhamn before the fleet sets sail to Helsinki, where they are eagerly awaited by Blue Marlin (FIN-1), owned by 12mR Worlds Chairman Henrik Andersin. Andersin, along with his Committee have planned a spectacular Championship regatta despite much uncertainty over the past 2+ years.
Meanwhile, Vema III (N-11) has embarked on her own epic 400+ nm Nordic voyage from Olso (NO) to the starting line at Helsinki.
If the first two days of these closely-contested Pre-Worlds are any indication, extremely competitive racing will continue throughout the remaining 2 days of the Pre-Worlds and onward at the 2021 EVLI 12mR World Championship from August 14-21 in Helsinki, Finland.
(end)
(results below)
2021 12 Metre Pre-Worlds Results: August 4-5, 2021
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
With combined ages totaling 775 years, Thea (D-1) at 103 years-young will be the Grand Dame amid a fleet of relative “youngsters” ranging in age from just 82-88 years-old at the 2021 Evli 12mR World Championship.
Thea (D-1) and Wings (K-15) Racing in Dyvig, Denmark. photo: Kim Weckström
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 modified to conform. For the first half of her life, she sailed under the flag of Norway with an impressive sister-fleet of 12mRs also designed by Anker including Vema III (N-11).
For more than a century, Thea (D-1) has had the great luck to be impeccably maintained by each of only four owners—Jacob Stolt Nielsen, Leif Høegh, Ebbe Wedell-Wedellsborg and Hans Michael Jebsen. Owing to their diligence and care, Thea has never required a complete restoration, something very few other vintage yachts of any design can boast. Now owned by father, Hans Michael Jebsen and son, Immanuel Jebsen, Thea (ex-Santa and ex-Nina) has been actively racing on the classic circuit and as a part of the 12mR fleet far longer than most of her competitors.
Purchased by Hans Michael Jebsen and ITMA Vice President, Patrick Howaldt in 1998, Thea (D-1) was the centerpiece around which the now-successful Baltic 12mR fleet was built. In 2001, she was one of three Nordic twelves that sailed in the historic 36-yacht 12mR fleet at the America’s Cup Jubilee held at Cowes (UK). Thea’s crew (and others) saw the potential for a large Vintage 12mR fleet racing at spectacular events throughout Northern Europe. With this vision in mind, Howaldt went on a 12mR shopping spree, co-purchasing Vanity V (K-5), Vim (US-15) and Wings (K-15) with groups of friends thereby sparking a catalyst for the rapid expansion of the 12mR fleet in Northern waters.
Thea (D-1), Kiwi Magic (KZ-7), Vanity (K-5), Flica II (K-14) and Vim (US-15) starting in Dyvig. photo: Kim Weckström
Hans Michael Jebsen says that he is looking forward to a great event in Helsinki. “The clubs in Helsinki have a fantastic tradition of organizing Metre regattas and we are happy that the 12mR fleet will meet at NJK. We hope that the event will further propel the development of the 12mR Class in the Baltics. For us as an early Second Rule boat, it will be challenging to keep up with the “youngsters” — but we look forward to fun and competition and will try to beat them all on the handicap!” The Jebsens and crew have good reason to be hopeful about Thea’s results, she has consistently won regattas based on the Baltic Handicap system including the Risør Træbåds Festival for three years running– 2016, 2017 and 2018. Her 12mR World Championship record includes a 13th place finish in the Classic division at Cowes (2001) and a 6th place finish in the Vintage division at Flensburg (2016).
ABOUT NYLÄNDSKA JAKTKLUBBEN (NJK) 
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL 12 METRE ASSOCIATION (ITMA)
