With World Championship on Horizon,

12 Metre North Americans to be Hotly Contested.

NEWPORT, R.I. (September 16, 2018) – From Friday through Sunday, September 21-23, nine historic 12 Metre yachts (including four past winners of the America’s Cup) and 150 of some of the world’s top sailors will be racing on Rhode Island Sound and Narragansett Bay in quest of the title 12 Metre North American Champion. In addition to being the capstone of the 2018 12 Metre racing season, the 2018 North American Championship will be the last major regatta before the 2019 World Championship season, which includes the 2019 12 Metre World Championship scheduled for next July 8-13 in Newport, R.I.

Action aboard Challenge XII at the 2017 Newport Trophy. (Photo credit: Stephen Cloutier)

“The North Americans will be the last chance for the teams to identify opportunities to fine tune their boats and develop a work plan for the off-season to find that elusive extra tenth of a knot,” said Event Chair Peter Gerard, who also has spearheaded the organization of next year’s Worlds.

Competing in Traditional Division will be Defending Champion US-17 Weatherly (Jay Schachne, Barrington, R.I.); US-16 Columbia (Kevin Hegarty/Anthony Chiurco, Boston, Mass./Newport, R.I.); USA-19 Nefertiti (John Wullschleger, Sarasota, Fla.), USA 18 Easterner (Scott Bernard, Annapolis, Md.); and US-21 American Eagle (Bob Morton/Cindy DeLotto, Newport, R.I./Edgartown, Mass.). Competing in Modern Division will be Defending Champion KA-10 Challenge XII (Jack LeFort, Jamestown, R.I.); US-26 Courageous (Ralph Isham/Steve Glascock/Alexander Auersperg/Ward Marsh, Newport, R.I.); US-30 Freedom (Charles Robertson, Guilford, Conn.); and K-22 Victory ‘83 (Dennis Williams, Hobe Sound, Fla./Newport, R.I.

Eight races are scheduled. Courses will be windward-leeward, and at the end of each day the Race Committee may run a “race to the harbor” (that will not count as part of the North American Championship scoring).

The 2018 12 Metre North American Championship will be hotly contested. (Photo credit: Stephen Cloutier)

Event Host Ida Lewis Yacht Club, whose long association with the 12 Metre Class began in 1958 when the boats were first selected for the America’s Cup, will likewise host the 2019 12 Metre World Championship where organizers are expecting 22 plus entries, making it the largest ever gathering of these historic yachts in the U.S. and the second largest gathering ever in the world. (The largest was the America’s Cup Jubilee held on the waters off Cowes, England in 2001.).

“The U.S. fleet has been gearing up for this historic regatta for almost four years,” said Gerard. “During that time at least five of the 12 Metres have been completely renovated, with the balance of the fleet undergoing major upgrades.”

Click for more information on the 2018 12 Metre North American Championship

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(Schedule Below)

2018 12 Metre North American Championship Schedule

Thursday, 9/20
1730 Owner’s Meeting, 12 Metre YC/Clarke Cooke House
1900 Skippers’ Meeting, 12 Metre YC/Clarke Cook House
2000 12 Metre YC “Annual Dinner” (ticketed), 12 Metre YC,/Clarke Cook House

Friday, 9/21
1000 First Warning Signal
1830 Cocktails and Regatta Dinner (ticketed), Ida Lewis YC.

Saturday, 9/22
1000 First Warning Signal

Sunday, 9/23
1000 First Warning Signal
1630 Awards, Ida Lewis YC

About the 12 Metre World Championship
The 12 Metre World Championship is a worldwide competition for 12 Metre yachts. The 2019 edition will take place from July 7-13 in Newport, Rhode Island. Ida Lewis Yacht Club will host and serve as the Organizing Authority for the 2019 World Championship. For more information, please visit http://www.12mrworlds.com or contact Peter Gerard at pgerard53@gmail.com, +1 214-244-4955.

CONTACTS

12 Metre World Championship
Peter Gerard
pgerard53@gmail.com
+1 214 244-4955

ITMA
SallyAnne Santos
sallyanne@windlasscreative.com
+1 401 847-0112

Media
Barby MacGowan, Media Pro Int’l
Barby.MacGowan@MediaProNewport.com
+1 401 849-0220