12mR World Championship at Yacht Club de Porquerolles kicks off

The 12mR World Championship Porquerolles © Gilles Martin-Raget / YCP

There's a real America's Cup atmosphere in Porquerolles, since this morning, around the 12mR boats that took part in the Cup from 1958 to 1987. Sixteen 12mRs are present for this major international event. A first for the Porquerolles Yacht Club, which organizes this World Championship.

Spectacle and magic guaranteed throughout the week.

Today, the fourteen 12mR boats competing in the World Championship were training in the Hyères harbor, with a race on the program to get their bearings and gauge their opponents.

America's Cup atmosphere

In addition to Brazilian Torben Grael, five-time Olympic medallist, who will be at the helm of Kookaburra II, we can also see his son Marco, who will be taking part in the 49er Olympic Games this summer. Also on the Porquerolles pontoon are Italians Matteo Plazzi, winner of the 2010 America's Cup with Oracle, and Pietro D'Ali, a member of Team Prada from 1997 to 2003. Or the Argentinian Santiago Lange - gold medallist in Rio in the Nacra 17, the Italian Francesco Binetti Pozzi, the New Zealander Robbie Naismith, who took part in several Americ'as Cup & Withbread and his compatriot Dan Slater, the Dane Jesper Bank - triple Olympic medallist, the Swedes Magnus Holmberg and Johan Barne. Not forgetting the French: Marc Pajot skipper of French Kiss in 1987, Marc Vallin crew member of French Kiss in 1987, Marc Bonduelle who took part in three America's Cups on France, Paul Ayasse - crew member on France in the 74 and 80 Cups and many others.

Marc Pajot, skipper of French Kiss: "I'm delighted to be in Porquerolles for this 12mR world championship. It's a great line-up. To organize a world championship at this level is exceptional in France."

For the 2024 World Championship, the 12mR yachts are divided into two groups: Group 1 (7 entries) comprising Grand Prix yachts built from 1983 to 1987 and Modernes from 1963 to 1983, and Group 2 (7 entries) comprising Vintages built before 1950.

Group 1: France I, French Kiss, Crusader, South Australia, Kookaburra II, Kookaburra III and Kiwi Magic.
Group 2: Thea, La Spina, Jennetta, Flica II, Nini Anker, Northern Light and Vim.

At 3pm this afternoon, the fourteen 12mRs took part in a training race. A first confrontation that counts for nothing.

Tomorrow, the serious business begins with the first races of the World Championship. The first start is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. in conditions that promise to be tough, with an easterly wind of around twenty knots.