Credit: Rod Harris/Sail Newport/2023
The Newport Regatta has become a Premier East Coast Sailing Event Four Decades After its Launch.
NEWPORT, RI (July 12, 2024)—This weekend marks the 40th Anniversary of the Newport Regatta at Sail Newport in Newport, Rhode Island, featuring 147 boats and ten one-design racing classes. The event has grown so successful over the years that sailors from an average of 17 U.S. states and several countries travel to Newport each year to compete.
“Sailors are captivated by sailing in Newport. What sets the Newport Regatta apart in the sailing world is not only racing on the legendary waters of Narragansett Bay but also the diverse range of boats that participate. From the nimble Melges 15 sailing dinghies to the Classic S Boats to the majestic 12-Metres, the regatta offers a spectacle of speed, skill, and a wide variety of both classic and modern sailboats,” says Brad Read, executive director of Sail Newport.
In 1983, the U.S. lost the America’s Cup, ending the longest-running winning streak in sports history. The loss of the trophy in Newport presented a gloomy forecast of Newport without sailing and the massive events held in Newport for decades. Later that day though, a group of proactive community sailors gathered to start Sail Newport, a nonprofit organization, to recruit sailing events and keep sailing alive in Newport.
The Newport Regatta is Launched Less than One Year After Loss of the America’s Cup
Filling the vacancy of sailing events and contributing to the vitality of the sailing community became Sail Newport’s mission. The nonprofit organization worked immediately to fill the sailing calendar, and less than one sailing season later, in 1984, Sail Newport created the Newport Regatta as its first regatta.
The first Newport Regatta was a modest one-class event with only Shields racing. However, that was a promising start to what the Newport Regatta has become four decades later: a season headliner for sailors who are drawn to Newport’s legendary waters, competing alongside top sailors in the sport, high-quality racing, challenging New England racing conditions and a weekend of socials for sailors to connect in festive shoreside socials.
Newport Regatta has Grown to be Season Headliner
Today, the sailing season runs at full tilt because, Read says, the massive community of amateur and pro sailors, race organizers, volunteers, and sailing clubs collaborate on many events. The passionate sailing community has worked together to rebuild Newport as the “Sailing Capital of the World.”
This weekend, the Newport Regatta classes include 12-Metre, 505, Ensign, F-18, S Class, IC-37, Melges 15, Snipe, Thistle, and V.X. One. Several classes have sanctioned the Newport Regatta as championships, including the 505 New England Championship, the Ensign Regional Championship, and the Thistle Atlantic Coast Championship. Racing starts at 11 a.m. each day.
Credit: Rod Harris/Sail Newport/2023
Classics to Include S Boats and 12 Metres
Local ties to the storied boat classes sailing this weekend include the classic S Boats designed by American Naval Architect Nathaniel Herreshoff of Bristol, RI. The fleet of S Boats has stood the test of time as one of the oldest American one-design classes still racing today with an active fleet in Newport.
Also, five of the vaunted 12-Metre Class boats are racing this weekend, and all have a renowned history in the America’s Cup. Courageous was skippered to victory in 1974 by Ted Hood and in 1977 by Ted Turner. Intrepid, also on the roster this weekend, won the America’s Cup in Newport in 1967 and 1970. American Eagle, Nefertiti, and Columbia (1958 America’s Cup Winner) round out the entries in the 12-Metre Class.
“The 12 Metres racing this weekend is a nod to Newport’s legendary sailing history, but they are every bit as competitive and fast as they were in their America’s Cup days. Their participation links the history of sailing in Newport with our modern sailing community,” Read adds.
Picturesque Weekend on the Bay
A flotilla of race boats will fill local waters as sailors race in four areas on Saturday and Sunday. The race boats will leave from Sail Newport in Fort Adams State Park or their moorings or slips to racing circles, including offshore of Brenton Point, between Rose and Goat Islands, and North of the Newport Bridge in the Potters Cove and Gould Island areas.
Sailing Community Support key to Success of the Newport Regatta
The Newport Regatta is a true community-wide effort, with many local clubs and volunteers offering help. Sail Newport engages nearly 100 volunteers for race management and shoreside activities. Area organizations onboard to assist with operating the Newport Regatta include the Newport Yacht Club, the New York Yacht Club, and the International Yacht & Athletic Club.
Hannah Swett (Jamestown, RI/New York/N.Y.), a world champion and former America’s Cup and Olympic sailor, will co-skipper the I.C. 37 Mo with Benjamin Kinney (New York, NY) this weekend says, “The Sail Newport Regatta provides an exhilarating experience with so many one-design classes competing at the same time. The event brings sailors of all levels together, fostering a strong sense of community and sportsmanship. The vibrant atmosphere makes the Sail Newport Regatta an unforgettable and rewarding experience every year.”
The Newport Regatta can be followed here: https://sailnewport.org/calendar/40th-anniversary-newport-regatta/
For more information, Sail Newport, 72 Fort Adams Dr., Newport, RI. 02840, Tel. (401) 846-1983 sailnewport.org