 Class symbol | |
 Finnish 8mR-yachtSagitta (FIN–2) designed by Charles Nicholson in 1929 and owned by Timo Saalasti. | |
| Development | |
|---|---|
| Year | 1907 (rule design) |
| Design | Development class |
TheInternational Eight Metre class are class of racingyachts. Eight Metre boats (often called "Eights" or 8mR[citation needed]) are aconstruction class, meaning that the boats are not identical but are all designed to meet specific measurement formula, in this caseInternational 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.
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 in1908 Summer Olympics. The Eights remained in the Olympics until 1936.
Up till 1914 the 8 metre yachts were traditionallyGaff rig. This changed with the launch ofIerne by theFife yard becoming the first yacht of the class usingBermuda 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.
After a long break, the Worlds have been organised 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.
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze | 1st Sira Class | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Silja John Archibald (GBR) | ||||
| 1975 | Silja Krister Ahlstrom (FIN) | ||||
| 1978 | Iskareen Per Wermelin (SWE) | ||||
| 1982 | Iroquois Eugene Van Voorhis (USA) | ||||
| 1983 | Iroquois Eugene Van Voorhis (USA) | Vision Design – C.E. Nicholson (1930)  Robin Clarke (CAN) | |||
| 1984 | Octavia Robin Clarke (CAN) | Vision Design – C.E. Nicholson (1930) Robin Clarke (CAN) | |||
| 1985 | Golden Feather Harry Voss (USA) | Vision Design – C.E. Nicholson (1930) Robin Clarke (CAN) | |||
| 1986 France | Gitana Sixty Philippe Durr (25x17px) | Ayana Design – F. Camatte 1947 Walter Latscha | |||
| 1987 | Spirit Per Wermelin (SWE) | Wye Design – C.E. Nicholson 1935 Sigfrid Svensson | |||
| 1988 | Gefion Sigge Svensson (SWE) | Wanda Design – Tore Holm (1937) Lasse Björk | |||
| 1989 | Gefion Sigge Svensson (SWE) | Venture II Design – E.A. Shuman (1938) Lorne Corley | |||
| 1990 | Gefion Bryan Gooderham (SWE) | Venture II Design – E.A. Shuman (1938) Lorne Corley | |||
| 1991 | Gefion Brian Gooderham (SWE) | Venture II Design – E.A. Shuman (1938) Lorne Corley | |||
| 1992 | Spirit Per Wermelin (SWE) | Isabel Gustav Estlander 1928 Bo Persson | |||
| 1993 | Sarissa Ron Palm (USA) | ||||
| 1994 | Gefion Sigge Svensson (SWE) | Vision Design – C.E. Nicholsen (1930) Eric Mallet | |||
| 1995 | Natural Hank Stuart (USA) | Vision Design – C.E. Nicholsen (1930) Eric Mallet | |||
| 1996 | Sarissa Ron Palm (USA) | Iskareen Olin Stephens (1939) Ralph Reimann | |||
| 1998 | Yquem Jean Marc Monnard (SUI) | Vision Design – C.E. Nicholsen (1930) Eric Mallet | |||
| 1999 | Golden Feather Eric Voss (USA) | Norseman Design – William J. Roue (1930) Cedric G. E. Gyles | |||
| 2000 | Gefion Pierre-André Bonjour (SUI) | Vision Design – C.E. Nicholson (1930) Eric Mallet | |||
| 2002 | FRA 29 – Fleur de Lys 2002 – Jacques Fauroux
| I16 – Bona Design – Baglietto (1934)  Dr. Giovanni Mogna (ITA) | |||
| 2003 | FRA 29 – Fleur de Lys 2002 – Jacques Fauroux
| SUI-8 Yquem 1985 – Pelle Petterson & 2003 Van Oosanen Wing keel | GBR-2 Lafayette 1986 – Jacques Fauroux | I16 – Bona Design – Baglietto (1934)
| [11] |
| 2004 | NED-2 Lafayette
| FRA 29 – Fleur de Lys 2002 – Jacques Fauroux | LafayetteGBR-2 1986 – Jacques Fauroux | Cutty Tou 1930 – C.E. Nicholson
| |
| 2005 | NED 1 Hollandia 2005 Ian Howlett
| Iskareen Olin Stephens (1939) Ralph Reimann | |||
| 2006 | SUI-10 Sarissa Peter Groh (SUI) | SUI-11 Aluette Ernst Bieri (SUI) | NED 1 Hollandia 2005 Ian Howlett  Tim Van Rootselaar (NED) | Z-9Froya 1939 Bjarne Aas | |
| 2007 | SUI 11 Aluette | Saskia William Fife III 1931 John & Micheal Stephen | |||
| 2008 | SUI 11 Aluette | SUI 2 YQUEM II | GBR-2 Lafayette | N-33 – Sira Johan Anker 1938 His MajestyHarald V of Norway | |
| 2009 | GBR-2 – Lafayette
| SUI 11 Aluette | NED 1 Hollandia 2005 Ian Howlett | Severn Design – William Fife 1936  Brad Butterworth (NZL) Murray Jones (NZL) Simon Daubney (NZL) Warwick Fleury (NZL) Peter Evans (NZL) Dean Phipps (NZL) Will McCarthy (NZL) | |
| 2010 | SUI 11 – Aluette Helm – Torsten Müller (SUI) Stefan Schneider (GER) Markus Olbrecht (SUI) Christian Gasser (SUI) Ernst Bieri (SUI) Günther Reisacher (SUI) Iris Metten (SUI) | CAN 25 – Raven Alfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats 1938 Mark DeCelles (CAN) Richard Self (CAN) | |||
| 2011 | NED 1 – Hollandia Helm – Tim Van Rootselaar (NED) Ruud Van Hilst (NED) Jeroen Jonk (NED) John Lammerts Van Bueren (NED) John Cutler (NZL) Sandro Benigni (ITA) Jos Fruytier (25x17px) | CAN 25 – Raven Alfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats 1938 Mark DeCelles (CAN) Richard Self (CAN) | |||
| 2012 | Tim Van Rootselaar (NED)
| YQUEM II SUI-2 Jean Fabre (SUI) | Lafayette GBR-2 Murdoch Mckillop (GBR) | 4th –CAN 25 – Raven Alfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats 1938 Mark DeCelles (CAN) Richard Self (CAN) | |
| 2013 | NED 1 – Hollandia Tim Van Rootselaar (NED) Ruud Van Hilst (NED) Jeroen Jonk (NED) John Lammerts Van Bueren (NED) Giles Nelis (NED) Dan Slater (NZL) | SUI-2 YQUEM II | JUANITA | 5th / CAN 25 Raven 1938 Alfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats Mark DeCelles (CAN) Richard Self (CAN) | |
| 2014 | NED 1 – Hollandia Design – Ian Howlett (2005) Helm – | YQUEM II | JUANITA | 5th /CAN 25 – Raven Design – Alfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats 1938 Mark DeCelles (CAN) Richard Self (CAN) | |
| 2015 | – Yquem II Helm – | Wyvern Starling Burgess / A&R Rüdiger Stihl | |||
| 2016 | NED 1 – Hollandia Design – Ian Howlett (2005) Helm – | Bangalore Design - Shannon Howard Bart Meuring | |||
| 2017 | GBR 007 – Miss U (2014) Helm – | Pandora (ex. Raven) Werner Deuring Alfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats 1938 | |||
| 2018 | Conquistador (2005) Helm –  Werner Deuring (AUT) Markus Sagmeister (GER) Michael Seifarth (GER) Reinhard Brucker (GER) Thomas Schäffler (GER) Dan Slater (NZL) | Luna Design – C.E. Nicholson (2011) Harri Roschier | |||
| 2019 | SUI 2 – Yquem II (2002) Helm –
| ||||
| 2022 | SUI 2 – Yquem II (2002) Helm – | GER 16 Starling Burgess | K 35 Pandora | ||
| 2023 | SUI 2 – Yquem II (2002) Helm – Jean Fabre (SUI) Manuel Stern (SUI) Cédric Senften (SUI) David Genier (SUI) Marc Stern (SUI) Pascal Python (SUI) | AUT-277 Conquistador Werner Deuring (AUT) | ITA-16 Bona Vera Mogna (ITA) | GER-16 Starling Burgess Selina Stihl (GER) | |
| 2024 | SUI 2 – Yquem II (2002) Helm – | SUI-8 Spirit | KC-3 Vision | ||
| 2025 | SUI 2 – Yquem II (2002) Helm – | GER 16 – Starling Burgess
| K 35 – Pandora
| GER 16 – Starling Burgess
| [65] |
