"Battling Twelves"

Limited Edition Print on Canvas

Edition of 50

Image size: 30 x 40 inches (76 x 101.5 cm) 

Each print is hand numbered and accompanied by a certificate signed by the artist.

Steven Dews’s limited edition is a depiction of The Battle of the Twelves; the Round the Island Race which was the main feature of the great America’s Cup Jubilee in 2001.

Tuesday August 21st 2001 was an unique day in the history of the America’s Cup and especially in the history of the international 12 metre class yachts. 37 yachts from all generations, the largest fleet of 12 metres ever seen, was assembled on the start line off Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The clockwise course took the competitors around the Isle of Wight in a 150-year jubilee tribute to the Royal Yacht Squadron's 1851 100 Guinea Cup.

From left to right in Steven Dews’s tribute the yachts depicted are: arguably the most famous 12 metre of all time and the winner of the America’s Cup in 1983, Australia II; Sovereign, the British challenger in 1964; Vanity V; the beautiful 1939 Flica II; the classic Nyala and the 1958 British challenger Sceptre.

Spectators on a perfect August day saw a century of yachting’s most illustrious history sail past, reaching the turning mark off Bembridge around noon. The first yachts to arrive were the modern ocean racers, led by Stealth, followed by the large classic yachts which have dominated several generations of racing history.