Golden Era of America's Cup 12 Metre Racing Immortalized Onscreen

Carrie Slee, Patricia Hoffmaster, Michel Maeder, Jan Slee

Although Newport was not chosen to host the next installment of the America's Cup races (Boo!), in many eyes the City by the Sea and 'Sailing' have long been considered more or less synonymous. And although we may have lost 2013 to San Francisco, our (comparatively) little community boasts an illustrious and intimate history with "the Cup."

In September of 2010, the New York Yacht Club hosted America's Cup 12 Metre Era Reunion: "Return of the Legends" at Harbor Court, bringing together 350 world-class sailors from the 12 Metre Class between 1958 and 1987. During the reunion, video was taken to commemorate the event and capture attendees sharing some of their most exciting memories of the era. A 47-minute movie was subsequently created from this footage, titled America's Cup 12 Metre Era Retrospective and featuring interviews with winning skippers Ted Turner, Dennis Conner, Ted Hood and Bill Ficker, to name a few, as well as rare and newly discovered footage from years past.

Charlie & Posey Dana with David Ray

The film recently enjoyed its big screen Newport premiere at the Jane Pickens Theatre, receiving an excellent turnout from the local sailing community on an otherwise frosty evening. Event Chair Jan Slee and his wife, Carrie, greeted guests in the lobby at a pre-show reception. Attendees included Dr. Robin Wallace, Bing and Betsy West, Andy and Bertie MacGowan, Tom Bair; we also caught up with Posey and Charlie Dana with longtime friend David Ray shortly before the screening.

The theater was packed!

Inside the theater, sailing powerhouse Tom Whidden, his arm in a sling from recent shoulder surgery, stood to give a few words of welcome and provide some background on the reunion before the screening; Whidden's wife, Betsy, also attended the premiere.

--Amanda M. Grosvenor