Newport Trophy Regatta to host ten historic 12 Metres
by Barby MacGowan 20 Jul 2017 06:35 BST
20-23 July 2017
12 Metre North American Championship 2014 © SallyAnne Santos / Windlass Creative
As the second 'Americas fleet' event in the ROAD TO THE WORLDS Waypoint Series, the Newport Trophy Regatta will take place July 20-23 in Newport, R.I.
Hosted by Ida Lewis Yacht Club, the event is for 12 Metre yachts, which are collecting points in a global series leading up to the next 12 Metre World Championship, scheduled for Newport in July of 2019. With ten teams competing, the scene will be reminiscent of the America's Cup days of old here in Newport, where from 1958 to 1983, 12 Metres were the weapon of choice in the contest for the Auld Mug.
The skipper's Meeting is Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Ida Lewis Yacht Club, and first warning signals are at 11 a.m on Friday through Sunday of racing. Eight races are scheduled.
On Friday at the International Yacht Restoration School's Restoration Hall, cocktails and a Celebration Dinner are planned for the 50th Anniversary of Intrepid's (US-22) first America's Cup victory and the 40th Anniversary of Courageous's (US 26) second America's Cup victory. Awards are Sunday, July 23 at 4:30 at Ida Lewis.
Yachts will be divided in to Grand Prix, Modern and Traditional classes and will sail on Rhode Island Sound or Narragansett Bay. Sailing are New Zealand (KZ-3) and Laura (KZ-5) in Grand Prix, Freedom (US-30), Defender (US-33), Challenge 12 (KA-10), Intrepid (US-22) and Courageous (US-26) in Modern; and Columbia (US-16), Weatherly (US-17) and American Eagle (US-21) in Traditional.
Freedom, Defender and New Zealand will be berthed at the Volvo docks at Fort Adams and will be readily viewable by spectators (in the mornings before "dock out" and late afternoons after racing); America's Cup Charter yachts American Eagle, Weatherly, and Intrepid can typically be seen at the Newport Harbor Hotel docks; and the balance of the fleet will be sailing to the race course from their respective "home" berths.
Waypoint Series standings have been tallied based on previous events held in Newport (the Metrefest Newport Regatta held in June), Germany and Denmark.
For more information visit www.12mrclass.com/waypoints