12mR North American Champs 2026

The legendary 12 Metre yachts that defined the America’s Cup for nearly three decades will return to Newport, Rhode Island waters for the 2026 North American Championship, running Friday, September 18, through Sunday, September 20. Hosted by the Ida Lewis Yacht Club in partnership with the International 12 Metre Association, the regatta will send some of sailing’s most recognizable boats into battle across Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound.

The sleek racing machines ruled the America’s Cup from 1958 through 1987, an era that cemented Newport’s place at the center of the sailing world. Coming up, they’ll once again charge past the City-by-the-Sea with a continental title on the line.

“You are sailing vessels that, in their day, in this town, represented the peak of yacht racing for the America’s Cup,” said Steve Eddleston, who owns Weatherly, the 1962 Cup defender. He described racing 30-ton boats separated by fractions of a knot, where a single maneuver decides the outcome.

Spectators can follow the action from several waterfront vantage points, including Fort Adams, Castle Hill, Bannister’s Wharf and Newport Harbor Island Resort on Goat Island. Castle Hill and Fort Adams are expected to offer some of the best views, although racing areas may shift with weather and wind conditions.

Fans won’t need binoculars to appreciate the yachts once the racing ends. The fleet is scheduled to be berthed at Bannister’s Wharf giving spectators and photographers a rare opportunity to see these historic America’s Cup thoroughbreds up close. Racing begins September 18, with the championship scheduled to conclude September 20, 2026.

Event details: https://www.12mramericas.org/americas-2026-1