Boat races in general can be pretty remarkable, and with so many being held across the globe, it can be challenging to choose the best one. If you’re deciding which one to attend, consider the America’s Cup international boat race, a prestigious event featuring skilled sailors, affluent sponsors, and mind-blowing yachts.
A Brief History
Since the birth of sailboats, yacht owners have been itching to show off their impressive water vessels. Brothers John Cox Stevens and Edwin A. Stevens were the two men controlling “America” the boat, which had arrived in Le Havre, France, on July 9, 1851, after a roughly 40-day trip from the United States’ east coast.
On July 31, the Steven brothers set sail for the Isle of Wight, determined to win a boat race against the British. Their determination paid off when almost one month later on August 22, 1851, America won the Royal Yacht Squadron’s 53-mile regatta around the Isle of Wight.
Since the 100-foot schooner, America, won the cup, it then became known as America’s Cup. It was this historical event in America’s history that started the story of this famous race and its cup.
America, The Boat
Shortly after winning the cup, America was sold to a new captain. The boat’s five crew members and the cup made their way back to New York, where the gentlemen took turns displaying the trophy.
After several years of being owned, renamed, and repaired by several sailors, America served in the US Navy for about a decade before being sold yet again. The boat was rebuilt in 1875 and was sailed on and off throughout the century.
The boat’s demise began in 1901 when it was no longer being sailed and eventually sold for the last time, in 1921, to the America Restoration Fund. They later donated America to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis.
Decay and the collapsed shed where America was stored, were the demise of the boat. By 1945, America met its end when its remains were scrapped and burned. It was one of three US Army vessels to be used in the Civil War and World War II.
The Winning Cup
The cup, made by Messrs in England, resembles a cylindrical trophy more than an actual cup. It weighs a little over eight pounds and is 27 inches tall. Before the crew donated it to the New York Yacht Club in 1857, the cup came close to being melted and turned into several medals.
The cup is the oldest international sporting trophy and was held by the New York Yacht Club for 132 years. Australia won the cup in 1983. Since then, the only teams to have won the cup are the United States, Switzerland, and its current defender, New Zealand.
America’s Cup Race
The first official America’s Cup race in the US wasn’t until 1870 when the cup was challenged by an Englishman, James Asbury. Asbury, who sailed a vessel by the name Cambria, didn’t win the race this year. The winner was the Magic, sailed by Franklin Osgood. Osgood won the America’s Cup two years in a row.
The US was home to the America’s Cup until 1988 when the International America’s Cup race was introduced. Since then, it has been hosted in various parts of the world, and by 2024, the America’s Cup will be in its 37th year. The race will be hosted in Barcelona between August and October.
Competitors will include Emirate Team New Zealand, United States American Magic, Great Britain’s INEOS Britannia, Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, and Switzerland’s Alinghi Red Bull Racing. The AC75 and AC40 are the two boats competing during the 37th America’s Cup competition.
In the News
America’s Cup has partnered with Skydance Sports. The two entities are working together to produce a documentary series about the 37th America’s Cup race. Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Evan Hayes, David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, and Jon Weinbach will all have a hand in the production of the documentary.
The America’s Cup is one of the few international events that has gone decades without being documented. For the first time, boat racing fans will experience all the drama that takes place on and off the water during the competition.
Interesting Facts
- Winners of the America’s Cup race decide where the races will take place.
- Each team must pay roughly $2 million to enter a race.
- The trophy was hit with a sledgehammer in New Zealand in 1997.
- Sir Thomas Lipton, the tea tycoon, challenged cup winners five times, but never won.
- Due to superstitions, many racers are particular about what they wear, the name of their yachts, and even what they bring inside their vessels.
What To Expect
As one of a handful of sporting events that only honors one winner, the America’s Cup race has been providing intense boat action as the longest-running international sports competition and the world’s pinnacle sailing event.
With such a large event and only four cup winners in its 174-year history, the 37th America’s Cup race will surely have you on the edge of your seat wondering who will be the next cup winner.