American Eagle Takes Newport Thriller on a Tie-Break

Seven races. Three historic Twelve Metres. Two boats tied at the top—and a championship decided in the final race.

The 2026 12 Metre North American Championship, held September 18–20 in Newport and hosted by Ida Lewis Yacht Club, delivered a weekend of remarkably close racing. All seven races took place offshore, on the waters where these legendary yachts once battled for the America’s Cup—a fitting setting for another fiercely contested title.

Friday brought sunshine and light winds, a summer setting that demanded patience and precision. Saturday’s overcast skies kept the breeze light and the competition tight. Then Sunday changed the mood: medium winds, heavy swells and rain brought a demanding finish to an already hard-fought series.

Through it all, American Eagle, Courageous and Weatherly kept the outcome in doubt. Boats frequently finished just seconds apart, with every start, tack and mark rounding offering a chance to gain—or lose—the advantage. It was anyone’s race to win.

After seven races, American Eagle and Courageous stood level on 13 points, each with three wins, two seconds and two thirds. With nothing separating their scorecards, the championship came down to their finishing positions in the last race. Weatherly took that race, while American Eagle’s second place ahead of Courageous secured the overall victory.
Overall Yacht Points

1 American Eagle 13

2 Courageous 13

3 Weatherly 16

On Newport’s historic America’s Cup waters, a weekend measured in seconds ended with the narrowest of margins—and American Eagle on top.

Source: Yacht Scoring’s posted results, currently labeled preliminary.