America’s Cup Hall of Fame Challenge returns to Newport Oct. 3-4

The Herreshoff Marine Museum and the America’s Cup Hall of Fame will stage the 2026 America’s Cup Hall of Fame Challenge in Newport, Rhode Island, on Oct. 3-4. Four classic 12-Metre yachts will race to raise money for STEM education, youth sailing and boatbuilding scholarships.

Why it matters: - The Newport regatta ties America’s Cup history to current STEM education funding. - Entry fees will support the Herreshoff STEM Education Program and scholarships for youth sailors and boatbuilders from underserved communities. - The event keeps classic 12-Metre boats active in a marquee sailing venue.

What happened: - The Herreshoff Marine Museum and the America’s Cup Hall of Fame announced the 2026 America’s Cup Hall of Fame Challenge for Oct. 3-4, 2026, in Newport, Rhode Island. - The event will feature four teams racing aboard historic 12-Metre yachts. - The race course will be north of Pell Bridge. - An opening reception is set for Friday evening at The Sailing Museum in downtown Newport. - A Sunday reception and award ceremony will follow racing at the 12-Metre Yacht Club in the Clarke Cooke House Sky Bar.

The details: - The four yachts are Columbia (US-16), Weatherly (US-17), Nefertiti (US-19) and American Eagle (US-21). - The boats played historic roles in Defender selection trials, and two secured America’s Cup victories in 1958, 1962 and 1967. - Each team will include 10-person crews, a supplied boat captain and two professional crew members. - Crews will rotate between boats during racing so each team sails each yacht. - Each boat will also include noted 12-Metre legends for coaching and sailing alongside the crews. - Each team will pay a $15,000 entry fee. - A portion of that fee is tax-deductible. - A portion of the proceeds will fund scholarships for underserved youth in sailing and boatbuilding. - More information is available through the event page or by email at w.lynn@herreshoff.org.

Between the lines: - The event uses nostalgia and elite competition to support a practical fundraising goal. - Bringing legends and historic boats into the same regatta adds a heritage angle that can help draw attention, sponsors and participants. - The structure suggests the challenge is designed as both a competitive race and a donor-facing gathering.

What's next: - Teams can enter and seek sponsorships ahead of the October regatta. - The museum and hall of fame are likely to use the event to promote its STEM pipeline and scholarship support. - Newport will host the on-water racing and related events across the weekend.