• From the 13th to the 19 th of July, a dozen boats from more than seven countries will participate in the 12mR Puig World Championship
  • Legendary sailboats from the golden age of the America’s Cup -between the 50s and the 80s- like the Vim, the Trivia, the Nyala or the Ikra, will sail the Catalan coast to celebrate the Puig 100th Anniversary
  • On Thursday 17th July the VII Edition of the Puig Vela Clàssica Barcelona will start bringing together the world elite of classic boats

Barcelona, ​​10th of July 2014. Barcelona is just getting ready to host for the first time in its history, a 12m class or 12 meters class World Championship, the Puig 12mR World Championship. More than a dozen vessels, and internationally recognized with over 100 years of history, were the stars of one of the most splendid periods of the America’s Cup, which took place between the late 50s and the 80s.

Sailboats coming from New York, UK, Denmark, Italy, France and Germany will join the celebration of the Puig 100th Anniversary and will meet at the Real Club Náutico from Barcelona, from next Sunday until he 19th of July. This fleet, which will start sailing on Monday 14th, will provide the capital a first level cultural and sports performance, as all vessels will be easily seen both offshore -while competing- and from the Moll de la Fusta, when resting in the dock, to the delight of tourists and residents.

The 12 meters, boats between 20 and 23 meters length with a mast of about 26 feet, have played a very significant role in the development of sports sailing of the XX th century and their designs were created by some of the best naval architects in the world: Fife, Burgess, Nicholson and Stephens, among others.

Since its inception in 1907, 196 sailboats have been built and many of them have participated in sports events as relevant as the Olympic Games of 1908, 1912 and 1920; the elegant regattas in Britain and Europe from the 30s; and ten America’s Cups from 1958 to 1987, thus becoming authentic nautical treasures.

A selection forged in history

In this first edition of the World Cup, Barcelona will host boats as representative as the Vim, one of the best top 12 meters internationally recognized. This vessel from 1939 was transferred to England and won 19 of 28 races. Barcelona will also count on the presence of the Trivia, built in 1937, who has achieved important victories throughout her history, as in 1938, when she won 21 races, including the King’s Cup.

Another 12m landmark is the Nyala, commissioned by the president of the oil company Standard Oil Corporation as a gift to his daughter Lucie for her marriage with Briggs Cunningham, a famous captain who became known for inventing the Cunnigham device, which allowed increasing the speed of the racing yachts, as well as for skippering the Columbia, the winner of the America’s Cup in 1958.

This class is organized into five categories: Grand Prix, Modern, Traditional, Vintage and Antigue, which in turn are generally subdivided into Vintage (Vintage & Antique): sailboats built before Second World War, and Modern (Grand Prix, Modern & Traditional): specifically built after 1958 for the America’s Cup, thanks to a change in the competition rules.

VII Puig Vela Clàssica Barcelona, the most prominent meeting of the Mediterranean

Besides, on the 17th of July, the VII Edition of the regatta Puig Vela Clàssica Barcelona will also get started, which has become one of the main internationally recognized events of the classic navigation, both for the quality of its participants and its unique atmosphere year after year, winning enthusiast fans among owners and experts. The competition, as well as the World Championship, will end on Saturday 19th of July.

Nearly fifty Classic and Vintage boats, coming from our country and other parts of the world (England, France, Argentina, Italy, etc.), will sail offering a striking sail staging of pure maritime tradition, which can rarely be enjoyed in big capitals like Barcelona.

Classics from over thirty flagship international vessels that have occupied the top spot on the winners of previous editions have already confirmed their attendance at the regatta. We are talking about the Manitou -second position in 2013 and winner of the 2012 edition- or the Mercury -third position in the VI Puig Vela -from the Marconi yacht category. From the Cangreja Yacht, the Marigold -second in 2012- and the >a title=”Marigan” href=”http://www.puigvelaclassica.com/en/llegendes/marigan-4/” target=”_blank”>Marigan -third place in the honors of 2013- will participate again.

The Alba Classics, respectively first and second place in 2013, and usually present since the start of the first editions of the regatta will also be present. The spectacular Moombeam III, winner of the last two editions of the regatta in the Big Boats category, the Moombeam IV -second in 2013 and third positions in 2012- and the English Mariquita -third position in 2013- will repeat this year.

NYALA