America's Cup 12-Meter Reunion Set for September, 2010
Legendary America's Cup Skippers to Race, Other Events Planned

Newport, RI, March 30, 2010

New York Yacht Club Commodore David K. Elwell Jr. announced today that the club will host a new event this summer, the America's Cup 12 Meter Era Reunion, September 16th to 19th at Harbor Court, NYYC’s on-the-water clubhouse in Newport.

During the 12 Meter era (1958-1987), over 83 12 Meter teams competed as contenders or defenders for the 10 America’s Cup matches during the period. The America’s Cup 12 Meter Era Reunion will be a celebration of the yachts, the crews, syndicate members and the times, considered by many to be a golden era in the history of the America’s Cup.

Headliners expected to attend the America's Cup 12 Meter Era Reunion include such iconic figures as Ted Turner, William Ficker, Buddy Melges, Ted Hood, Halsey Herreshoff, Malin Burnham, Sir James Hardy, Alan Bond, Bruno Trouble, Pele Petterson and Bruno Bich to name a few. Regatta Co-Chairs include 12 Meter veterans such as Gary Jobson, Jeff Neuberth, Jan Slee and Tom Whidden.

Events include parties, panel discussions, a regatta featuring “friendly competition” on Newport’s fleet of 12 Meter yachts and the viewing of the 12 Meter North American Championship (September 15th to 17th), in which a number of participants will also be competing.

Included in the Reunion, and in partnership with the New York Yacht Club, the Herreshoff Marine Museum will be holding its 17th America’s Cup Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Rolex Watch USA, on Saturday September 18th.

Filmmaker Gary Jobson will premiere his production of the “12 Meter Era Retrospective” and will be capturing the Reunion events for another video to be shown on ESPN Classic in November.

The Reunion precedes the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship (September 20th-25th), also hosted by the NYYC at Harbor Court, for competitors seeking spots in sailing’s newest Olympic discipline who will participate in the festivities.

The running of the 40th Annual Newport International Boat Show will take place the same weekend. In 1851, the NYYC won the “Hundred Guinea Cup,” later called the America’s Cup, when the yacht America, owned by a syndicate of NYYC members, including Commodore John Cox Stevens, defeated 14 English cutters and schooners in a race around the Isle of Wight in England. Beginning in 1870, the club successfully defended the America’s Cup through 24 defenses until 1983.

After replacing J-Class yachts, 12 Meters, first built in 1907 and designed to the International-Rule formula, sailed for the America’s Cup for nearly 30 years.

To this day, the Twelve’s are the longest lived class of yachts to compete in the America’s Cup. Through 12 Meters -- the yachts and the sailors -- the sporting world came to understand better the America’s Cup.

Said Commodore Elwell, a veteran of several Cup campaigns and a grinder on Intrepid, winner of the 1967 America’s Cup, “This will be a wonderful gathering and reunion of competitors and friends. We expect between 400 and 500 people to join the festivities spanning the three plus days. Skippers, crews, syndicate members, America’s Cup Committee Members and America’s Cup Race Committee Members will be on hand representing six countries and seven different challenger yacht clubs. We look forward to renewing old friendships.”
 

Links of Interest:

Press Release at NYYC