2023 12 Metre Worlds in the USA

Ten teams will compete in the 2023 12 Metre World Championship with five days of racing on August 1-5 in Newport, RI. Last held in the U.S. (in Newport) in 2019, the field includes four yachts that successfully defended the America’s Cup: 1958, Columbia (US-16); 1962, Weatherly (US-17); 1974 & 1977 Courageous (US-26); and 1980, Freedom (US-30).

On the 2023 roster, all but Weatherly and Nefertiti (US-19) competed at the 2019 12 Metre Worlds, which saw Challenge XII (KA-10) and Columbia each winning their respective divisions – Modern and Traditional – with returning helmsmen Jack LeFort (Winter Park, FL/Jamestown, RI) and Kevin Hegarty/Anthony Chiurco (Newport, RI/Princeton, NJ), respectively.

In the Modern Division, returning 12 Metres Courageous, Defender (US-33), Freedom, and Enterprise (US-27) all will be sailed by new groups. America’s Cup Hall of Fame member Dawn Riley (Oyster Bay, NY.) will skipper Courageous with a young and diverse crew from Oakcliff Sailing aboard. Andrew Rose (Newport Beach, CA) will take the helm of Defender, while Japan’s Takashi Okura will lead his team aboard Freedom, and Peter Askew (Key Largo, FL) will skipper Enterprise.

“This is a highly competitive group and we expect extremely close racing,” said 12 Metre Yacht Club Director Peggy Hersam.

In the Traditional Division, returning American Eagle (US-21) will be skippered by Bob Morton while newcomers to the Worlds Weatherly and Nefertiti will be skippered by Steven Eddleston (Bristol, RI) and Jack Klinck (Concord, MA), respectively.

In Vintage division, which will be combined with the Traditional Division for racing purposes, Onawa (US-6) returns with Mark Watson (Newport, RI) at the helm.

At 10:00 a.m. on August 5, the Parade of 12 Metres will be led by Race Committee Signal Boat Casta Diva and dignitaries and VIPs aboard a special Palm Beach Motor Yacht, and will consist of twelve historic 12 Metres (many of which sailed here during Newport’s America’s Cup days).

The parade will start east of Goat Island with a route clockwise around the harbor, passing Newport Yacht Club, Bannister’s Wharf, Newport Yachting Center/Hammetts Hotel, the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS), Ida Lewis Yacht Club, and New York Yacht Club where they will be saluted by cannon before heading out for their final race of the series.

A total of nine windward-leeward races are scheduled over five days. (Four completed races shall constitute a regatta.) Yachts will sail either on Rhode Island Sound or north of the Pell Bridge on Narragansett Bay.

Details: https://12mrworlds.com/category/2023-12mr-world-championship/

Source: MPI