Eighteen legendary racing yachts gathered in Newport, R.I., in September for the 2009 12 Meter World Championships. It has been 26 years since Newport hosted the America’s Cup and the 2009 Worlds are the center piece of the Golden Year of Racing, a year-long 50th anniversary celebration of the 12 Meter’s debut in the America’s Cup in 1958. That race saw Columbia (US16), defeat the British challenger, Sceptre (K17).
The boats raced in four divisions: Grand Prix, Modern, Traditional, and Vintage. The lineup included five winning America’s Cup defenders, including Columbia.
Gary Jobson will narrate and produce a one-hour film for ESPN Classic on the history of the 12 Meters and the 2009 Worlds. The show airs Nov. 7, at 1:00 p.m. EST and will be available on DVD. For more information visit www.12mrclass.com/cms/.
