12 Metre Worlds: August in Focus
Timeless yachts, legendary sailors, and a championship decided on the final day — the 2023 12 Metre Worlds in Newport, Rhode Island, had it all.
Each year, curating the Ultimate Sailing Calendar takes me back to moments that define our sport. For August, that moment was Narragansett Bay: a showcase of elegance, heritage, and heart-stopping competition.
On the Water
The regatta began in fits and starts, with light winds and a two-hour delay, before building to medium breezes and lumpy seas. It became a contest of patience and precision, where every shift and sail choice mattered more than speed alone. Each race reshuffled the standings, and by the final day, the outcome still hung in the balance. Local sailor Jack LeFort, at the helm of Challenge XII, ultimately captured his second world title, edging out Japan’s Takashi Okura and Freedom.
Legends Afloat and Ashore
The fleet was a living history of the America’s Cup: Columbia (1958), Weatherly (1962), Courageous (1974/77), and Freedom (1980) — once the pinnacle of design and rivalry, now still powering downwind with spinnakers billowing red, blue, and white. What gave 2023 even more resonance were the sailors themselves. Dawn Riley — America’s Cup and National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee — skippered Courageous with a crew of Oakcliff Sailing students, an unforgettable passing of knowledge and inspiration. Alongside her, familiar names like Murray Jones, Grant Simmer, and Ken Read brought further depth and prestige to the racing.
Behind the Lens
Photographing the 12 Metres is both a challenge and a joy. Their sweeping lines and classic grace make every frame a painting, whether stretched wide across the horizon or tight on a mark rounding. Thanks to an expert photo boat driver, I was able to capture the split-second drama of starts, tactical duels, and triumphant finishes — the places where racing reveals its purest emotion.
Looking Back to Fremantle
This class also connects to my own journey. My first 12 Metre Worlds was in Fremantle, Australia, during the height of their glory days. I remember the turquoise water, the fierce winds, and the sheer thrill of documenting sailing history as it unfolded. Decades later, those same feelings return every time I photograph these yachts — a reminder of why they continue to capture my imagination and inspire generations of sailors.
Why It Matters
When you turn to August in the 2025 Ultimate Sailing Calendar, you’ll see more than beautiful photographs. You’ll feel the suspense of racing decided on the final day, the elegance of classic yachts still at the top of their game, and the enduring spirit of a fleet that bridges past and future.
Here’s to the race, the grace, and the unforgettable faces of sailing’s most storied class.
Also in News
M & M
It’s a twofer! We’ve combined Ultimate Sailing Calendar’s March and May features into one blog because all of these spectacular images were taken by the same dynamic duo who make up Sailing Energy: Pedro Martinez and Jesús Renedo! And all were photographed at the bustling Trofeo Princessa Sofia regatta in Palma de Mallorca.
Royal Blue
Oh, that water! That sparkling, rich royal blue that caresses the yachts as they hurtle toward Honolulu on the Transpacific Yacht Race, as depicted in the April 2025 pages of the Ultimate Sailing Calendar.
Maxed Out
We have excitedly shared Gilles’ exquisite work before in the Ultimate Sailing Calendar, and this month focus on the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo. Here an impressive fleet of more than 40 behemoth, majestic maxi yachts battled their rivals and the seas, off the blustery coast of Sardinia.
+About Ultimate Sailing
Sailing is a magnificent, colorful and dramatic sport. This unique sport has many variables with the constantly changing elements, sea conditions, boats, events, competitors and locations. The challenge is to capture on film electrifying moments that take your breath away. Those moments and opportunities are very few, but when they happen... it is ultimate sailing." ~ Sharon Green
Sharon Green has been capturing electrifying images of performance sailing for more than 40 years. Her annual Ultimate Sailing Calendar, featuring the highlights of competitive sailing, is eagerly anticipated by yachting and photography enthusiasts worldwide. Sharon has been published in major boating publications, both locally and internationally, since she first took up a camera while still in high school.
The pursuit of 'Ultimate Sailing' images never seems to grow old. Four decades and I still love the challenge of creating memorable images for my clients and the calendar."
Sharon is happiest when she is on the water or hanging from a helicopter in search of the elusive image that can be called 'Ultimate Sailing'. "My greatest satisfaction is when it all comes together: the anticipation, planning, organizing, traveling and epic conditions that combine to create a thrilling photograph.
The passage of time eludes our grasp: we can only look back in awe and look forward in anticipation. Never did I expect, 40 years ago, that my vision of creating the Ultimate Sailing Calendar would endure and provide such an extraordinary life experience. boundless advancements in sailing, and concurrently radical developments in camera and photographic technology, have kept me on my toes and the years have swept by! I find myself at this landmark anniversary: humbled by your patronage and inspired by your support. To my many friends, colleagues, clients, and subjects who have sustained and fueled this endless passion for capturing the ultimate Sailing image, I extend my deepest love and gratitude.
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Sharon Green
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