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INTERNATIONAL
TWELVE METRE
NEWS
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A Message from ITMA President, Paul Buttrose |
Dear Members and friends of the International Twelve Metre Class,
As a dark cloud remains over Eastern Europe, we are fortunate to celebrate the vibrant activity of 12 Metre Fleets in Northern Europe, Southern Europe and the Americas.
Twelve Metre yachts, first launched in 1907 to compete under the International Rule, have enjoyed a continuation of racing like no other class. Currently the largest keel boat class recognized by World Sailing, our regional and World Championships attract competitive owners and sailors throughout Europe and the USA. In 2022, at least five 12 Metres were restored and launched while two Modern Division 12mRs, both Americas Cup winners, are competing under new ownership.
Continuation of the Class at this level is due to the devotion by owners to their yachts, a strong 12 Metre Rule and the dedication of a volunteer 6-person Executive Committee with a 3-person Technical Committee led by Ken McAlpine. Most recently, Robert deHaer has filled the long-vacant role of Class Registrar; Class Secretary, SallyAnne Santos now also serves as ITMA’s Communications Director.
Two items on the agenda at our 2021 ITMA Annual Meeting, held in Helsinki during the World Championship, were an initiative to stimulate 12mR racing in Southern Europe and a worldwide membership drive. Congratulations and thanks go to our Fleet Vice Presidents; Patrick Howaldt in Northern Europe, Bernard Minvielle in Southern Europe and Steve Eddleston in The Americas for the success of these initiatives.
The 115-year-old International Twelve Metre Class is far larger than the current membership. The effort and resources required to maintain and campaign a 12 Metre are sizeable. Fortunately, knowledgeable and ambitious new stewards are discovering ‘the magic’. It is the owners of 12 Metres who ensure continuation of the Class. Similarly, behind the scenes our small band of volunteers is following suit.
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Who Is ITMA and What Do We Do? |
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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).
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ITMA is Comprised of 3 Regional Fleets Worldwide... |
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Sailing primarily in the Mediterranean, the Southern Europe fleet includes yachts in France, Italy, Turkey, and Portugal as well as encompassing Oceania. |
After a hiatus in S. European 12mR racing activity, plans are now underway for an exciting series of regattas to be held throughout the Med during the 2023 and 2024 sailing seasons! Thanks to work of a dedicated team based in France and Italy-- led by ITMA's new (interim) S. European VP, Bernard Minvielle with the support of Christophe Babule together with ITMA President, Paul Buttrose, N. European VP, Patrick Howaldt and the Luna Rossa team-- Twelves will soon return to competition at the region's most glamorous and legendary venues. All 12mRs worldwide will be invited to join them when schedules are finalized in the months ahead. |
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Above, Kookaburra II (KA-12) along with Nyala's (US-12) container departs Newport, RI for her return to the Med, June 2022..
-- photo courtesy: Linda Lindquist-Bishop
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French Kiss (F-7) owner Christophe Babule at her helm, June 2022.
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Most active in the Baltic Sea, the Northern Europe fleet includes Great Britain, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Finland. |
2022 12mR racing is off to a stellar start in the N. European fleet. Both the season opener, the Dyvig 12mR Cup, and the Robbe & Berking Sterling Cup were blessed with picture-perfect 12mR sailing weather. At Dyvig,10 Twelves competed in winds from 12-18 knots. Vim (US-15) skippered by Helmuth Henning (DEN) won the series while Johan Blach Petersen's (DEN) Kiwi Magic (KZ-7) finished second overall under the Baltic handicap scoring system.
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Northern Light (US-14) helmed by World Champion and Olympic Sailor, Magus Holmberg (SWE) shone brightest at the Robbe & Berking Classic. After an extended absence from competition, now freshly restored by her new owner and deftly handled by her crew, US-14 scored just 13 points over the nine race regatta.
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Thea (D-1), the 104 year-old grand dame of the fleet, skippered by Esben Glad (DEN) was the "quickest overall" (on corrected time) clinching first place in the Baltic handicap scoring system.
Read more by clicking on any of the links provided above or below.
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Although centered in Newport, RI, the Americas fleet extends over two continents with yachts located in other US states and the Caribbean. |
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A fleet of 18 yachts turned out to Race for Ukraine on June 4, 2022 in Narragansett Bay. Organized by the 12 Metre YC Newport Station, with Bristol YC, Ida Lewis YC and the Herreshoff Marine Museum, the event raised more than $20,000 for Heart to Heart International. The fundraising regatta was the brainchild of ITMA's Americas VP, Steve Eddleston.
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The Americas fleet has seen many changes since hosting the 2019 12mR World Championship in Newport. With so many 12mRs under new ownership, the dynamics of the fleet continue to evolve.
Above, After long and longer absences from the race course Freedom (US-30) and Courageous (US-30) met at the starting line of the 2022 New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta. It is wonderful to see them both back in action!
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THIS MONTH IN 12MR HISTORY: JULY 1962
Gretel (KA-1) Arrives at Newport to a Warm Welcome
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Sixty years ago this month, America’s Cup preparations were in full swing in Newport. The America’s Cup Defender Trials began with skippers drawing numbers from a hat to determine match-ups between the four yachts. After the first two-week trial period, the record stood with Nefertiti (10-2), Weatherly (7-4), Columbia (US-16) (4-6) and Easterner (US-18) (1-10). Although Nefertiti (US-19) had the better record, Weatherly (US-17) had beaten her by large margins in 2 of their 3 matches and sailed faster in all conditions. Designer, Philip Rhodes had tweaked Weatherly’s keel shape, sliced her transom and removed bulkheads to reduce weight. Skipper Bus Mosbacher (center photo) was also thought to be the best helmsman of the group.
July 21 was celebrated as Australia Day when Gretel (KA-1), her trial horse Vim (US-15), and crew arrived in Newport. As they passed Brenton Lightship they were greeted by two Navy tugs spraying streams of water, Coast Guard tenders and a flotilla of private boats. Ida Lewis YC officers and a band playing Waltzing Matilda escorted them to a parade down Thames Street ending with a formal welcome by Navy, City, State and Yacht Club officials on the Colony House steps in Washington Square. Aussie Syndicate Head, Sir Francis Parker was quoted, “We hope you’ll be just as happy to see us go as you have been to see us come!”
Gretel’s first sail off of Newport was both “encouraging and dismaying.” She snapped her aluminum boom, but quickly replaced it with a wooden one and beat Vim by 500 yards in a 15-mile practice race. The weather was a mixed bag, 10-15 knots from every direction, but the Aussie yacht performed surprisingly well in heavier wind as well as the lighter air for which she was designed. By week’s end she was hailed “the best challenger ever.”
Meanwhile, American twelves sailed with NYYC’s Annual Cruise; Nefertiti won the 1st Squadron Run and Weatherly claimed the Queen’s Cup.-- SAS
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ITMA Yacht Database: Preserving the History of the 12mR Class |
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Featured Find: Princess Svanevit (S-2)
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Newly appointed 12mR Registrar Robert deHaer recently discovered the website of Princess Svanevit (S-2). Currently in Stockholm, Sweden she is undergoing an extensive restoration including her intricately detailed interior.
"Princess Svanevit merits the description “so much more than a boat” for her interior decor alone. It is highly unusual for a racing yacht to be decorated inside like an art salon – as the exhibition at Liljevalchs art gallery in spring 2022 showed."– Svanevit.se
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With assistance from the Blue Marlin (FIN-1) team we have just completed updating her record for now... |
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We are always working to update ITMA's online yacht database, a very daunting project tracking the history of 100+ yachts over 100+ years!
The archive was started by former ITMA S. European VP, Luigi Lang. It was the basis for 2 books authored by Lang and former ITMA President Wm. H. Dyer Jones. With boats undergoing changes in ownership, location and restoration its very difficult to keep up-- we need your help!
Please take a look and alert us to any updates needed; together we will preserve the legacy of our historic Twelve Metre Class.
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12mR Class Registrar
Although based in Hong Kong, Robert is a regular racer within the Northern European 12mR fleet aboard Thea (D-1). Robert has had a passion for competitive sailing since he was a teenager in Holland where he raced in the Flitz class with his brother. As co-owner of Scallywag (Ruffian RHKYC) and has participated in more than 200 regattas organized by the RHKYC. He also owns a 33' Cheoy Lee ketch called Xio Rui. Robert recently accepted the role of 12mR Class Registrar, for which ITMA is extremely grateful. He has taken on the dauting project of tracking down and recording information of 12mR yachts worldwide.
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(Interim) Treasurer
A life-long sailor, Dennis has been professionally involved in yachting since 2009. His first 12mR experience was crewing on Gleam (US-11). Subsequently he has held varied roles on many 12mRs from bowman on Laura (KZ-5) to captain of Northern Light (US-14) and Owner's Rep of Enterprise (US-27), over-seeing her re-design/refit. Most recently, as co-owner of Gleam he is working on a multi-year effort to restore and actively campaign her throughout New England. Dennis is passionate about the history, personalities, performance and elegance in aesthetics of the Twelves.
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Technical Committee Chair
Ken is Australian and grew up sailing dinghies including 18 footers on Sydney Harbour. He has a degree in Naval Architecture and owned a consultancy design business specializing the commercial vessels up to 40 m in length. He has been integrally involved in the America’s Cup initially as the measurer of Australia II (KA-6) and as measurer at the America’s Cup in 1987. Subsequently he was appointed Chief Measurer for the America’s Cup in 1988, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2007 & 2017. ITMA has been extremely fortunate to have Ken's expertise and experience working with the 12mR Class for 35 years!
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Discover the Magic: 12mRs for Sale |
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VICTORY ’83 (K-22)
Over the past twelve years, Victory ’83 (K-22) has earned an enviable record with a World and numerous North American Championships as well as many fleet and regional wins. All good things must come to an end and so the time has come for a new custodian to take the reins... Read more
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WINGS (K-15)
After five successful years as one of the really best performing 12mR yachts in Europe, we would like to hand over Wings (K-15) to a new owner or a syndicate of owners. Wings is a Camper Nicholson Vintage 12mR built in 1937 and is today in better shape than... Read more
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2023 & 2024 12mR World Championships |
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Planning is underway for a 2024 12mR World Championship to be included within an exciting series of regattas in the Mediterranean organized by the Southern European 12mR fleet. Follow 12mWorlds.com blog for announcements as details are finalized. |
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Follow International Twelve Metre Association |
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