1983 America's Cup

The **1983 America's Cup** was the yacht racing challenge between the New York Yacht Club and the Royal Parth Yacht Club that took place in off Newport, Rhode Island in September 1983. It would see the end of the longest sporting winning streak in history of 132 years.

## Background

The cup was originally contested in 1851. It was known as the RYS £100 Cup and struck by the British Royal Yacht Squadron. In a race around the Isle of Wight, an American yacht called *America* would win the race. Reigning British monarch, Queen Victoria, observed the finish and reportedly asked "Who came second?" She was famously told "There is no second". The New York Yacht Club set a Deed of Gift in order to challenge for the cup, setting their own rules as a result making winning the cup all that much more difficult over the years. After the first challenge in 1870, the cup was defended in the waters off New York City 13 times against mostly Britain but a couple of times against Canada.

In 1930 the race venue was moved to off Newport, Rhode Island where the cup was defended succesfully 11 more times, but 6 of the 7 in the lead up to 1983 were from Australia. At no stage throughout the challenges did the challengers win more than two races in the best of seven that had been set in 1930 after the best of five in 1920 was won 3-2 - the closest to that point that the cup had been lost.

## Qualifying series

In 1983, seven challengers vied for the right to challenge for the cup. There were one each from Britain, France, Italy and Canada, but the other three were all from Australia - the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (who had challenged for the cup in 1962, 1967 and 1970), the Royal Perth Yacht Club (who had challenged in 1974 and 1980) and the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria (who were looking to challenge for the first time).

After the early contests it came down to four challengers. The Royal Perth Yacht Club remained from Australia, along with the challengers from Britain, Italy and Canada. Australia won all bar one of the races at this stage while Britain ran second losing two races to Australia and one to Italy. Britain and Australia would go head to head to see who would challenge for the America's Cup.

Britain were represented by the Royal Burnham Yacht Club out of Essex. They had never represented Britain before in the America's Cup and were seeking to challenge on behalf of Britain for the first time since 1964. Their boat was *Victory 83*. Australia's boat was *Australia II*, named after the original *Australia* that had challenged without success on the two previous challenges in 1977 and 1980. It was designed by Ben Lexcen and skippered by 1976 Olympic bronze medallist in yachting, John Bertrand. The boat included a winged keel - which had the attention of the New York Yacht Club as a potental threat and they tried everything to get it ruled illegal under their rules. Their key claim, which was ruled untrue, was that the boat was of Dutch design and not Australian and that Lexcen had nothing to do with it.

After losing the first race against Victory 83, Australia II would win the four required to qualify as the challenger for the America's Cup.

## The series

### Race One

On September 14, 1983, the first race was held. The American defender was a boat called *Liberty*, skippered by Dennis Conner. Liberty won the first race by one minute and ten seconds, with Australia II suffering equipment problems.

### Race Two

The equipment problems continued for Australia II in the second race on September 15, 1983, with Liberty winning again this time by one minute and thrty three seconds.

### Race Three

After two days off due to poor conditions, the Australians had the time to fix their equipment issues and on September 18, 1983, Australia II won race three by the big margin of three minutes and fourteen seconds. This didn't bother the Americans as they had lost one race before in a series. Even the media saw humour in the situation, asking Conner about God being an American and if God took Sundays off (the day of the loss was a Sunday).

### Race Four

After another day off for poor conditions, Liberty won race four by forty three seconds on September 20, 1983, and it looked like the American's would prevail yet again.

### Race Five

On September 21, 1983, Australia II would strike back winning race five by one minute and forty seven seconds. For the first time since 1934, a sixth race in the best of seven was required.

### Race Six

On September 22, 1983, Australia II would win again in race six by the massive margin of three minutes and twenth five seconds. For the first time in the history of the challenge a seventh race was needed and a final decider was needed for the first time since 1920 in the then five race series.

### Race Seven

After another three days were lost due to poor conditions, on September 26, 1983, the seventh race was held. Australia II lost the start by eight seconds but regained ground to take the early lead. Liberty fought back and by the second last mark had what many thought was an unassailable lead. But Conner failed to cover Australia II on the second last leg and by the last mark the Australians were back in the lead. In the race to the finish, Conner tacked nearly 50 times to try and fool the Australians including a few dummy tacks. It forced both boats to the edge of the racing lane near spectator craft which it could be argued was Conner's fatal error and Australia II sailed from there to the finish line to win race seven and the America's Cup by forty one seconds - the narrowest margin of the series.

## The Aftermath

Australia watched on television on the morning of September 27, 1983, as Australia II crossed the line, and there were massive celebrations. Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke was at the Royal Perth Yacht Club, and was just as excited as anyone. After avoiding the question about making the day a public holiday, Hawke uttered the immortal words "Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum!" He did admit that making the public holiday was beyond his power.

When Australia II returned to port after the victory, a chant went up "Show the keel!". The boat's owner, Alan Bond, obliged by giving the sign for the workmen to lift the yacht out of the water so everyone could have a look. The New York Yacht Club had been embarassed to the extent that the event was looked on by America as a day of shame. Conner in particular took the loss hard. The Cup had to be unbolted to allow it to be taken to Perth where it stayed for four years.

## The America's Cup since

The Americans regained the cup in 1987, but it went to San Diego and not Newport, Rhode Island. Conner had recovered and was determined to get the cup back and was successful. He no longer feels any shame, as he now believes that it was the best thing that could have happened for yachting. On the other hand it started a mess of legal actions before the Americans lost the cup to New Zealand in 1995 in a 5-0 whitewash. New Zealand lost it to Switzerland of all places, but then America got it back again - this time based in San Francisco. Australia has not challenged for the Cup since it was lost in 1987, until a successful bid by the Hamilton Island Yacht Club to challenge the holders in late 2013. But six months later it was withdrawn. Meanwhile San Francisco defended the Cup once successfully, but the next defence in 2017 failed with New Zealand regaining the Cup.

## *Opinions*

* I missed all the fuss on the morning of September 27 as I slept in. But I like everyone else laughed at Hawke's comment. It is an iconic remark that I included in my podcast introduction in the early days as well as in tribute to him when he passed away in 2019. I call this one of our greatest sporting triumphs, certainly in my lifetime. Near the end of 1987 I was lucky enbough to be at a celebration at the old City Square in Melbourne when John Bertand was in attendance - and he said quite simply "We did it" to a big cheer. And he was right. **TLPG** 12:22, 7 July 2021 (UTC)