8 Metre

The International Eight Metre class are class of racing yachts. Eight Metre boats (often called "Eights" or 8mR) are a construction class, meaning that the boats are not identical but are all designed to meet specific measurement formula, in this case International rule. Before WW II, Eights were the most prestigious international yacht racing class and they are still raced around the world. "Eight metre" in class name does not, somewhat confusingly, refer to length of the boat, but product of the formula. 8mR boats are on average some 15 metres long. Between 1907 and 2008 approximately 500 8mR boats were built, 177 of them have survived until today.

Class symbol
Class symbol
Finnish 8mR-yacht Sagitta (FIN–2) designed by Charles Nicholson in 1929 and owned by Timo Saalasti.
Development
Year1907 (rule design)

History

The Swedish silver medalist Sans Atout at 1912 Summer Olympics.
The Finnish eights Sphinx (FIN–4) and Sagitta (FIN–2) competing in 2012.

The International Rule was set up in 1907 to replace earlier, simpler handicap system which were often local or at best, national, and often also fairly simple, producing extreme boats which were fast but lightly constructed and impractical. The Eight Metre class was the medium size rating established under the rule and they were chosen as an Olympic class in 1908 Summer Olympics. The Eights remained in the Olympics until 1936.

Up till 1914 the 8 metre yachts were traditionally Gaff rig. This changed with the launch of Ierne by the Fife yard becoming the first yacht of the class using Bermuda rig. Over time Bermuda rigs became more popular thanks to much more convenient cruising.[1]

New, modern eights are still built utilising newest contemporary technologies, at the rate of 1–3 boats per year. During the 1980s, many old sailboat classes experienced a revival of interest. The class has undergone a renaissance which has continued to the day, with many old yachts restored or rebuilt to racing condition, and 8mr competition is once again thriving with 25–35 boats participating annually at the 8mR Worlds. "The International Eight Register" includes 177 identified existing boats of a total of approximately 500 boats built from 1907 until today.

Events

Event Gold Silver Bronze
1908 London
 Great Britain (GBR)
Blair Cochrane
Charles Campbell
John Rhodes
Henry Sutton
Arthur Wood
 Sweden (SWE)
Carl Hellström
Edmund Thormählen
Eric Sandberg
Erik Wallerius
Harald Wallin
The Duchess of Westminster
 Great Britain (GBR)
Philip Hunloke
Alfred Hughes
Frederick Hughes
George Ratsey
William Ward
1912 Stockholm
 Norway (NOR)
Thoralf Glad
Thomas Aas
Andreas Brecke
Torleiv Corneliussen
Christian Jebe
 Sweden (SWE)
Bengt Heyman
Emil Henriques
Alvar Thiel
Herbert Westermark
Nils Westermark
 Finland (FIN)
Bertil Tallberg
Arthur Ahnger
Emil Lindh
Gunnar Tallberg
Georg Westling
1920 Antwerp
1907 rule
 Norway (NOR)
Carl Ringvold
Thorleif Holbye
Alf Jacobsen
Kristoffer Olsen
Tellef Wagle
No further competitors No further competitors
1920 Antwerp
1919 rule
 Norway (NOR)
Magnus Konow
Thorleif Christoffersen
Reidar Marthiniussen
Ragnar Vik
 Norway (NOR)
Jens Salvesen
Finn Schiander
Lauritz Schmidt
Nils Thomas
Ralph Tschudi
 Belgium (BEL)
Albert Grisar
Willy de l'Arbre
Georges Hellebuyck
Léopold Standaert
Henri Weewauters
1924 Paris
 Norway (NOR)
Carl Ringvold
Rick Bockelie
Harald Hagen
Ingar Nielsen
Carl Ringvold, Jr.
 Great Britain (GBR)
Ernest Roney
Harold Fowler
Edwin Jacob
Thomas Riggs
Walter Riggs
 France (FRA)
Louis Breguet
Pierre Gauthier
Robert Girardet
André Guerrier
Georges Mollard
1928 Amsterdam
 France (FRA)
Donatien Bouché
André Derrien
Virginie Hériot
André Lesauvage
Jean Lesieur
Carl de la Sablière
 Netherlands (NED)
Johannes van Hoolwerff
Lambertus Doedes
Hendrik Kersken
Cornelis van Staveren
Gerard de Vries Lentsch
Maarten de Wit
 Sweden (SWE)
Clarence Hammar
Tore Holm
Carl Sandblom
John Sandblom
Philip Sandblom
Wilhelm Törsleff
1932 Los Angeles
 United States (USA)
Owen Churchill
John Biby
Alphonse Burnand
Kenneth Carey
William Cooper
Pierpont Davis
Carl Dorsey
John Huettner
Richard Moore
Alan Morgan
Robert Sutton
Thomas Webster
 Canada (CAN)
Ronald Maitland
Ernest Cribb
Peter Gordon
George Gyles
Harry Jones
Hubert Wallace
No further competitors
1936 Berlin
 Italy (ITA)
Giovanni Reggio
Bruno Bianchi
Luigi De Manincor
Domenico Mordini
Enrico Poggi
Luigi Poggi
 Norway (NOR)
Olaf Ditlev-Simonsen
John Ditlev-Simonsen
Hans Struksnæs
Lauritz Schmidt
Jacob Thams
Nordahl Wallem
 Germany (GER)
Hans Howaldt
Fritz Bischoff
Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach
Eduard Mohr
Felix Scheder-Bieschin
Otto Wachs

World Championships

After a long break, the Worlds have been organized for the eight metres in four classes:

1. The World Cup.[2]
2. The Sira Cup – All Classic eights built prior to 1968[3]
3. The Neptune Trophy – All Classics with original deck plan build prior to 1970, wooden spars and Dacron sails[4]
4. Vintage eights – Gaffs build before 1920.

Sira Cup Winners 1983–2015
Year Location Winner Owner Designer Built
1983Hankø – NorwayVisionRobin ClarkeC.E. Nicholson1930
1984RCYC – CanadaVisionRobin ClarkeC.E. Nicholson1930
1985Rochester – USAVisionRobin ClarkeC.E. Nicholson1930
1986Cannes – FranceAyanaWalter LatschaF. Camatte1947
1987NJK – HelsinkiWyeSigfrid SvenssonC.E. Nicholson1935
1988Sandham – SwedenWandaLasse BjörkTore Holm1937
1989RCYC – CanadaVenture IILorne CorleyE.A. Shuman1938
1990Rochester – USAVenture IILorne CorleyE.A. Shuman1938
1991RCYC – CanadaVenture IILorne CorleyE.A. Shuman1938
1992Sandham – SwedenIsabelBo PerssonGustav Estlander1928
1993NJK – HelsinkiAndromedaOla & Ulf NilssonArvid Laurin1947
1994Cannes – FranceVisionEric MalletC.E. Nicholsen1930
1995Medemblik – The NetherlandsVisionEric MalletC.E. Nicholsen1930
1996Sodus Bay – USAIskareenRalph ReimannOlin Stephens1939
1998Geneve – SwitzerlandVisionEric MalletC.E. Nicholson1930
1999Rochester – USANorsemanCedric G. E. GylesWilliam J. Roue1930
2000Porto St.Stefano – ItalyVisionEric MalletC.E. Nicholson1930
2002NJK – HelsinkiBonaDr. Giovanni MognaBaglietto1934
2003SNT – FranceBonaDr. Giovanni MognaBaglietto1934
2004SNG – SwitzerlandCutty TouAlain & Gilles MinosC.E. Nicholson1930
2005RCYC – CanadaIskareenRalph ReimannOlin Stephens1939
2006Lindau – GermanyFroyaPeter GrohBjarne Aas1939
2007RNCYC, The Clyde – ScotlandSaskiaJohn & Micheal StephenWilliam Fife III1931
2008KNS Hankø – NorwaySiraHis Majesty Harald V of NorwayJohan Anker1938
2009Hyères – FranceSevernBrad ButterworthWilliam Fife1936
2010Toronto – CanadaRavenMark DeCelles and Richard SelfAlfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats1938
2011Flensburg – GermanyRavenMark DeCelles and Richard SelfAlfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats1938
2012Cowes – EnglandRavenMark DeCelles and Richard SelfAlfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats1938
2013Helsinki – FinlandRavenMark DeCelles and Richard SelfAlfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats1938
2014La Trinité-sur-Mer – FranceRavenMark DeCelles and Richard SelfAlfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats1938
2015SNG – SwitzerlandWyvernRüdiger StihlStarling Burgess / A&R1928
2016RCYC - CanadaBangaloreShannon Howard and Bart MeuringNANA
2017KNS - NorwayPandora (ex. Raven)Werner DeuringAlfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats1938
2018YCL - GermanyLunaHarri RoschierC.E. Nicholson2011

References

  1. "Eight Metre "VERANO II" (Snarken) - Part 1". 9 February 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  2. "IEMA". www.8mr.org. Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  3. "IEMA". www.8mr.org. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  4. "IEMA". www.8mr.org. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
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