View source for 8 Metre

{{Short description|Type of racing yacht}}
{{Infobox sailboat specifications
|name            = 
|image           = Sagitta-Racing2002 8mR world cup.jpg
|imagesize       =
|alt             = 
|caption         = Finnish 8mR-yacht ''Sagitta'' (FIN–2) designed by Charles Nicholson in 1929 and owned by Timo Saalasti.
|class_symbol    = 
|class_image     = 8 Metre insigna.png
|class_imagealt  = Class symbol
|class_imagesize = 
|crew            = 
|type            = 
|design.         = Development class
|construction    = 
|rig             = 
|keel            = 
|trapeze         = 
|loa             = 
|loh             =
|lwl             =  
|beam            =  
|draft           = 
|hull            = 
|mastheight      = 
|mainsailandjib  = 
|sailarea        = 
|mainsail        = 
|jib             = 
|spinnaker       = 
|d-pn            = 
|rya-pn          = 
|phrf            = 
|year            = 1907 (rule design)
|designer        =
|location        = 
|builder         = 
|role            = 
|updated         = 
|olympic         = 
}}

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 (sailing)|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.

==History==
[[Image:1912 Sans Atout.JPG|thumb|The Swedish silver medalist ''Sans Atout'' at [[Sailing at the 1912 Summer Olympics – 8 metre class|1912 Summer Olympics]].]]
[[Image:Sphinx och Sagitta.jpg|thumb|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 [[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics|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 [[William Fife|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://snarken.page.tl/Part-1.htm|title=Eight Metre "VERANO II" (Snarken) - Part 1|date=9 February 2011|accessdate=13 October 2022}}</ref>

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==

{| {{MedalistTable|type=Event}}
 |-
| style="align:center;" | 1908 London <br />{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 8 Metre}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]]&nbsp;[[Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(GBR)</span><br />[[Blair Cochrane]]<br />[[Charles Campbell (sailor)|Charles Campbell]]<br />[[John Rhodes (sailor)|John Rhodes]]<br />[[Henry Sutton (yachtsman)|Henry Sutton]]<br />[[Arthur Wood (sailor)|Arthur Wood]]
                              |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Sweden.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Sweden]]&nbsp;[[Sweden at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Sweden]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(SWE)</span><br />[[Carl Hellström]]<br />[[Edmund Thormählen]]<br />[[Eric Sandberg]]<br />[[Erik Wallerius]]<br />[[Harald Wallin]]<br />[[Constance Lewes|The Duchess of Westminster]]
                              |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]]&nbsp;[[Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(GBR)</span><br />[[Philip Hunloke]]<br />[[Alfred Hughes (sailor)|Alfred Hughes]]<br />[[Frederick Hughes (sailor)|Frederick Hughes]]<br />[[George Ratsey]]<br />[[William Ward (sailor)|William Ward]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | 1912 Stockholm <br />{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1912 Summer Olympics – 8 Metre}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Norway.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Norway]]&nbsp;[[Norway at the 1912 Summer Olympics|Norway]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(NOR)</span><br />[[Thoralf Glad]]<br />[[Thomas Aas]]<br />[[Andreas Brecke]]<br />[[Torleiv Corneliussen]]<br />[[Christian Jebe]]
                              |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Sweden.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Sweden]]&nbsp;[[Sweden at the 1912 Summer Olympics|Sweden]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(SWE)</span><br />[[Bengt Heyman]]<br />[[Emil Henriques]]<br />[[Alvar Thiel]]<br />[[Herbert Westermark]]<br />[[Nils Westermark]]
                              |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Russia.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Finland]]&nbsp;[[Finland at the 1912 Summer Olympics|Finland]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FIN)</span><br />[[Bertil Tallberg]]<br />[[Arthur Ahnger]]<br />[[Emil Lindh]]<br />[[Gunnar Tallberg]]<br />[[Georg Westling]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | 1920 Antwerp <br />1907 rule<br />{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1920 Summer Olympics – 8 Metre}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Norway.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Norway]]&nbsp;[[Norway at the 1920 Summer Olympics|Norway]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(NOR)</span><br />[[Carl Ringvold]]<br />[[Thorleif Holbye]]<br />[[Alf Jacobsen]]<br />[[Kristoffer Olsen]]<br />[[Tellef Wagle]]
                                                   |style="vertical-align:top;"|No further competitors
                                                   |style="vertical-align:top;"|No further competitors

  |-
| style="align:center;" | 1920 Antwerp <br />1919 rule<br />{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1920 Summer Olympics – 8 Metre}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Norway.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Norway]]&nbsp;[[Norway at the 1920 Summer Olympics|Norway]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(NOR)</span><br />[[Magnus Konow]]<br />[[Thorleif Christoffersen]]<br />[[Reidar Marthiniussen]]<br />[[Ragnar Vik]]
                                                   |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Norway.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Norway]]&nbsp;[[Norway at the 1920 Summer Olympics|Norway]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(NOR)</span><br />[[Jens Salvesen]]<br />[[Finn Schiander]]<br />[[Lauritz Schmidt]]<br />[[Nils Thomas]]<br />[[Ralph Tschudi]] 
                                                   |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Belgium]]&nbsp;[[Belgium at the 1920 Summer Olympics|Belgium]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(BEL)</span><br />[[Albert Grisar (sailor)|Albert Grisar]]<br />[[Willy de l'Arbre]]<br />[[Georges Hellebuyck]]<br />[[Léopold Standaert]]<br />[[Henri Weewauters]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | 1924 Paris <br />{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1924 Summer Olympics – 8 Metre}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Norway.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Norway]]&nbsp;[[Norway at the 1924 Summer Olympics|Norway]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(NOR)</span><br />[[Carl Ringvold]]<br />[[Rick Bockelie]]<br />[[Harald Hagen]]<br />[[Ingar Nielsen]]<br />[[Carl Ringvold, Jr.]]
                              |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]]&nbsp;[[Great Britain at the 1924 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(GBR)</span><br />[[Ernest Roney]]<br />[[Harold Fowler (sailor)|Harold Fowler]]<br />[[Edwin Jacob]]<br />[[Thomas Riggs (sailor)|Thomas Riggs]]<br />[[Walter Riggs (sailor)|Walter Riggs]]
                              |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1924 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br />[[Louis Breguet]]<br />[[Pierre Gauthier (sailor)|Pierre Gauthier]]<br />[[Robert Girardet]]<br />[[André Guerrier]]<br />[[Georges Mollard]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | 1928 Amsterdam <br />{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1928 Summer Olympics – 8 Metre}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]]&nbsp;[[France at the 1928 Summer Olympics|France]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(FRA)</span><br />[[Donatien Bouché]]<br />[[André Derrien]]<br />[[Virginie Hériot]]<br />[[André Lesauvage]]<br />[[Jean Lesieur]]<br />[[Carl de la Sablière]]
                                |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Netherlands]]&nbsp;[[Netherlands at the 1928 Summer Olympics|Netherlands]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(NED)</span><br />[[Johannes van Hoolwerff]]<br />[[Lambertus Doedes]]<br />[[Hendrik Kersken]]<br />[[Cornelis van Staveren]]<br />[[Gerard de Vries Lentsch]]<br />[[Maarten de Wit]]
                                |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Sweden.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Sweden]]&nbsp;[[Sweden at the 1928 Summer Olympics|Sweden]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(SWE)</span><br />[[Clarence Hammar]]<br />[[Tore Holm]]<br />[[Carl Sandblom]]<br />[[John Sandblom]]<br />[[Philip Sandblom]]<br />[[Wilhelm Törsleff]]

  |-
| style="align:center;" | 1932 Los Angeles <br />{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1932 Summer Olympics – 8 Metre}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:US flag 48 stars.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|United States]]&nbsp;[[United States at the 1932 Summer Olympics|United States]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(USA)</span><br />[[Owen Churchill]]<br />[[John Biby]]<br />[[Alphonse Burnand]]<br />[[Kenneth Carey]]<br />[[William Cooper (sailor)|William Cooper]]<br />[[Pierpont Davis]]<br />[[Carl Dorsey]]<br />[[John Huettner]]<br />[[Richard Moore (sailor)|Richard Moore]]<br />[[Alan Morgan (sailor)|Alan Morgan]]<br />[[Robert Sutton (sailor)|Robert Sutton]]<br />[[Thomas Webster (sailor)|Thomas Webster]]
                              |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Canada 1921.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Canada]]&nbsp;[[Canada at the 1932 Summer Olympics|Canada]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(CAN)</span><br />[[Ronald Maitland]]<br />[[Ernest Cribb]]<br />[[Peter Gordon (sailor)|Peter Gordon]]<br />[[George Gyles]]<br />[[Harry Jones (sailor)|Harry Jones]]<br />[[Hubert Wallace]]
                              |style="vertical-align:top;"| No further competitors

  |-
| style="align:center;" | 1936 Berlin <br />{{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1936 Summer Olympics – 8 Metre}} 
  |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Italy]]&nbsp;[[Italy at the 1936 Summer Olympics|Italy]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(ITA)</span><br />[[Giovanni Reggio]]<br />[[Bruno Bianchi (sailor)|Bruno Bianchi]]<br />[[Luigi De Manincor]]<br />[[Domenico Mordini]]<br />[[Enrico Poggi]]<br />[[Luigi Poggi (sailor)|Luigi Poggi]]
                             |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Norway.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Norway]]&nbsp;[[Norway at the 1936 Summer Olympics|Norway]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(NOR)</span><br />[[Olaf Ditlev-Simonsen]]<br />[[John Ditlev-Simonsen]]<br />[[Hans Struksnæs]]<br />[[Lauritz Schmidt]]<br />[[Jacob Thams]]<br />[[Nordahl Wallem]]
                             |style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of German Reich (1935–1945).svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Germany]]&nbsp;[[Germany at the 1936 Summer Olympics|Germany]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:90%;">(GER)</span><br />[[Hans Howaldt]]<br />[[Fritz Bischoff]]<br />[[Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach]]<br />[[Eduard Mohr]]<br />[[Felix Scheder-Bieschin]]<br />[[Otto Wachs]]

|}

===World Championships===

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

1. The World Cup.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.8mr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=118&Itemid=107|title=IEMA|website=www.8mr.org|access-date=25 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425143426/http://www.8mr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=118&Itemid=107|archive-date=25 April 2018}}</ref><br />
2. The Sira Cup – All Classic eights built prior to 1968<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.8mr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117&Itemid=116|title=IEMA|website=www.8mr.org|access-date=25 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305134744/http://www.8mr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=117&Itemid=116|archive-date=5 March 2016}}</ref><br />
3. The Neptune Trophy – All Classics with original deck plan build prior to 1970, wooden spars and Dacron sails<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.8mr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=115|title=IEMA|website=www.8mr.org|access-date=25 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305143917/http://www.8mr.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=115|archive-date=5 March 2016}}</ref><br />
4. Vintage eights – Gaffs build before 1920.

{|class=wikitable float-left" width="90%" 
|-
|+ <big>Sira Cup Winners 1983–2015</big>
|- class="backgroundcolor5"
!Year
!Location
!Winner
!Owner
!Designer
!Built
|-
|1983 || Hankø – Norway || ''Vision'' ||Robin Clarke|| C.E. Nicholson|| 1930
|-
|1984 || RCYC – Canada ||''Vision''||Robin Clarke||	C.E. Nicholson|| 1930
|-
|1985 || Rochester – USA ||''Vision''||Robin Clarke||C.E. Nicholson|| 1930
|-
|1986 || Cannes – France ||''Ayana''||Walter Latscha||F. Camatte|| 1947
|-
|1987 || NJK – Helsinki|| ''Wye''|| Sigfrid Svensson|| C.E. Nicholson|| 1935
|-
|1988 || Sandham – Sweden|| ''Wanda''|| Lasse Björk|| Tore Holm|| 1937
|-
|1989 || RCYC – Canada|| ''Venture II''||	Lorne Corley||	E.A. Shuman||	1938
|-
|1990 || Rochester – USA	||''Venture II''||	Lorne Corley||	E.A. Shuman||	1938
|-
|1991 || RCYC – Canada||	''Venture II''||	Lorne Corley||	E.A. Shuman||	1938
|-
|1992 || Sandham – Sweden||	''Isabel''||	Bo Persson||	Gustav Estlander||	1928
|-
|1993 || NJK – Helsinki ||	''Andromeda''||	Ola & Ulf Nilsson||	Arvid Laurin||1947
|-
|1994 || Cannes – France||	''Vision''	||Eric Mallet||	C.E. Nicholsen||	1930
|-
|1995 || Medemblik – The Netherlands||	''Vision''	||Eric Mallet	||C.E. Nicholsen||	1930
|-
|1996 || Sodus Bay – USA||	''Iskareen''||	Ralph Reimann||	Olin Stephens||	1939
|-
|1998 || Geneve – Switzerland||	''Vision''||	Eric Mallet||	C.E. Nicholson||	1930
|-
|1999 || Rochester – USA ||''Norseman''||	Cedric G. E. Gyles||	William J. Roue||	1930
|-
|2000 || Porto St.Stefano – Italy||	''Vision''||	Eric Mallet||	C.E. Nicholson||	1930
|-
|2002 || NJK – Helsinki|| ''Bona''||	Dr. Giovanni Mogna||	Baglietto||	1934
|-
|2003 || SNT – France||	''Bona''||	Dr. Giovanni Mogna||	Baglietto||	1934
|-
|2004 || SNG – Switzerland|| ''Cutty Tou''||	Alain & Gilles Minos||	C.E. Nicholson||	1930
|-
|2005 || RCYC – Canada|| ''Iskareen''||	Ralph Reimann||	Olin Stephens||	1939
|-
|2006 || Lindau – Germany ||''Froya''	||Peter Groh||	Bjarne Aas||	1939
|-
|2007 || RNCYC, The Clyde – Scotland|| ''Saskia''||	John & Micheal Stephen||	William Fife III||	1931
|-
|2008 || KNS Hankø – Norway|| ''Sira''||	His Majesty [[Harald V of Norway]]	||Johan Anker||	1938
|-
|2009 || Hyères – France|| ''Severn''||	Brad Butterworth	||William Fife||	1936
|-
|2010 || Toronto – Canada ||''Raven''	||Mark DeCelles and Richard Self||	Alfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats||	1938
|-
|2011 || Flensburg – Germany ||''Raven''    ||Mark DeCelles and Richard Self||      Alfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats||  1938
|-
|2012 || Cowes – England ||''Raven''    ||Mark DeCelles and Richard Self||      Alfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats||  1938
|-
|2013 || Helsinki – Finland ||''Raven''    ||Mark DeCelles and Richard Self||      Alfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats||  1938
|-
|2014 || La Trinité-sur-Mer – France ||''Raven''    ||Mark DeCelles and Richard Self||      Alfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats||  1938
|-
|2015 || SNG – Switzerland|| ''Wyvern''||	Rüdiger Stihl||Starling Burgess / A&R	||1928
|-
|2016 || RCYC - Canada||Bangalore ||Shannon Howard and Bart Meuring||	NA||	NA
|-
|2017 || KNS - Norway ||Pandora (ex. Raven) ||Werner Deuring||	Alfred Mylne & Sir Thomas Glen-Coats||	1938
|-
|2018 || YCL - Germany ||Luna ||[[Harri Roschier]]||	C.E. Nicholson||	2011
|}
{{clear|left}}

==References==
* [http://www.8mrclass.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68&Itemid=97 The International Rule – The Eight Metre Class – John Lammerts van Bueren, 2007]
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.8mr.org/ International Eight Metre Association]
* [http://www.8mrclass.org/ IEMA - The Boat Regstry]
* [http://www.8mrworldcup.com/ IEMA World Cup Site]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071102153816/http://www.6mr.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title=Boat_Index Metre Boat Index]
* [http://naema.net/ North American Eight Metre Association]
* [http://8mr.org.uk/ British Eight Metre Association]
* [http://8mr.fi/ Finnish Eight Metre Association] {{in lang|fi}}
* [http://www.8mr.spb.ru/ Russian Eight Metre Association] (Russian)

{{Olympic class sailboats}}
{{Classes of the International Sailing Federation}}

[[Category:8 Metre| ]]
[[Category:Classes of World Sailing|8 Metre]]
[[Category:Keelboats]]
[[Category:Olympic sailing classes]]
[[Category:Development sailing classes]]