WHAT IS THE AMERICA'S CUP?

Origins of the America’s Cup

In 1851, the Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, England invited a USA boat to come over and enter a little race around the Isle of Wight. Little did he know that he was firing the starting canon on the oldest international sporting event on the planet!

Yankee domination

Much to the annoyance of the Brits, the schooner ‘America’ rocked up and won the ‘R.Y.S. £100 Cup’. The syndicate was based out of the New York Yacht Club. Consequently, they renamed the trophy ‘The America’s Cup’, after their yacht. Under a ‘Deed of Gift’ they donated the fabulous trophy to the NYYC and required it be made available for perpetual international competition.

How it works

The ‘Deed of Gift‘ entitles any yacht club to challenge the holder to a ‘match’ and try to win the trophy. The Americans ‘defended’ successfully until 1983, thats a 132 year winning streak! Eventually Australia II from the Royal Perth Yacht Club won the Auld Mug. It is worth noting at this point, that after almost 200 years of continual competition and much to the amusement of the global sailing community, the British still haven’t managed to win it back!

Recent history has seen Australia, the United States, Switzerland (yes you read that correctly) and lastly New Zealand all getting their hands on the famous old trophy. Although it has not been without some controversy along the way.

Hostile Challenge

In July 1987, Michael Fay wandered into the San Diego Yacht Club and instead of ordering a gin & tonic and chatting about knots, issued a ‘Notice of Challenge’ from the Mercury Bay Boating Club for the recently won America’s Cup.

Dennis Conner, who had claimed the trophy with Stars & Stripes only 4 months earlier, took one look at the proposal and fell about laughing. Fay wanted a straight shoot-out the following year. As set out in the original Deed of Gift he wanted a battle between two “single masted yachts no more than 90 feet (27 m) at the waterline.”

Still sniggering, Conner and SDYC rejected the proposal and went back to polishing the Auld Jug in the lobby. Mr Fey, presumably having watched lots of American TV dramas, decided to ‘lawyer up’ and go to Court.

Supremely Stupid

On the 25th of November 1987 the New York State Supreme Court ruled in Fey’s favour and ordered the SDYC to get out on the water and accept the challenge.

Fey, who already had his 90ft super yacht KZ-1 ready to go, was celebrating his cunning when Conner announced that Stars & Stripes 88 would be a 60ft Catamaran. A much faster design. Fey went running back into Court and lost. So a two race series took place.

Conner won the first race by 18 minutes and the second one by 20! At the press conference after the first race Conner was accused by NZ skipper David Barnes of not trying. Conners famously said “I’m sailing a cat, someone else is sailing a dog!“

After being humiliated Fey went back to court and 1989 was given the victory. SDYC appealed and finally in April 1990 the New York Court of Appeals handed the trophy back to Conner.

The Modern Era

The 27th America’s Cup put an end to the 12-metre era of yachts as the International America’s Cup Class was developed for the next Cup defense.

The 1992 event saw the first non-English speaking sindicate mount a challenge. Venice Compagnia della Vela lost 4-1 to USA 23. Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron‘s boat Black Magic wiped the floor with Conner’s USA team in ’95 and at the turn of the century we had the first series without a US boat as either holder or challenger. NZ60 defeated Italy45.

By now a recognised format was being used. A challenger series followed by the Cup series proper.

Foiling Baby!

The America’s Cup has always been at the vanguard of sailing technology. Now, each syndicate spends millions of dollars developing their boats. The new AC75 monohull foiling yachts are simply spectacular!

Incredibly fast and dangerous, the event in Barcelona in 2024 is not to be missed. There are challenges from the UK, Italy, Switzerland, France & the USA. All trying to win the cup from holders New Zealand.