North Sails official sailmaker of the 12 Metre World Championship

North Sails official sailmaker of the 12 Metre World Championship © SallyAnne Santos / WindlassCreative.com

Lowell North founded North Sails in 1957, one year before the America's Cup ushered in 30 years of storied racing in the 12 Metre Class, creating some of the most memorable moments in sailing history.

60 years of innovation and development kept North Sails at the heart of America's Cup victories, and now the world's leading sailmaker will be on hand to provide world-class service and support when the 12 Metre World Championship is raced off Newport, R.I. from July 8-13th.

The World Championship will be the largest-ever gathering of 12 Metre yachts in the United States, featuring 21 boats from six countries. North Sails will be offering its signature Regatta Repair service to ensure the sails on every boat are optimized for the expected tight racing in this fiercely competitive fleet.

The 12 Metre has always been at the forefront of sailing development. Today the class combines the sleek lines of historic hulls with cutting edge technology above deck, offering both nostalgia and world-class racing. North Sails has worked closely with many owners and the class association itself, to understand more about the needs and challenges faced in developing modern sails for these boats. Both North inventories and North experts will be onboard many of the boats to help the teams meet their goal of being the next World Champion.

"We have a shared history of success and pioneering development, and we are privileged to be able to be a part of this event and help keep these boats performing to the highest level." -Ken Read

The President of North Sails will be racing on Challenge XII in the Modern Division. "The 12 Metre class is unique in every way," Ken Read continued. "There is nothing else like it in the world, and it's a testament to the owners, crews, class association, and suppliers that the fleet remains so competitive and we are able to get 21 of the 12 Metres to Newport for this amazing event. What better place to be watching these boats go head-to-head than Newport, the site of so many memorable America's Cup battles. North Sails prides itself on finding the best sail solutions for any client, from the smallest to the biggest, and these amazing boats have to rate as one of the most iconic."

Peter Gerard, Vice President of the International Twelve Metre Association's (ITMA) America's Fleet added: "Without the best partners to help us deliver optimum performance, we would not be able to put on such an ambitious event as this. Whilst the boats are historic and look beautiful, the loads that they carry and the equipment that they use is cutting edge. and for this, we need the world's leading suppliers to help keep everyone race-ready. We are delighted that North Sails has partnered with us and are greatly looking forward to working with them."