In August, 2001, the America’s Cup Jubilee was held in England to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first America’s Cup.  The event represented the entire history of the America's Cup Challenges and the fleet included many original yachts or their replicas.  This made for a good reason to take pause and reflect upon the events that initiated and transformed the nature of the America’s Cup throughout its distinguished past.

Originally known as the 100 Guinea Cup, the trophy was authorized by the Queen in 1848 to be made of solid silver (134oz), 27" tall.   The prize became the namesake of New York Yacht Club’s schooner America, which defeated 14 British yachts in the All Nation’s Race at Cowes, Isle of Wight, on August 22, 1851.  The race was held in conjunction with Prince Albert’s Great London Exhibition of 1851, which paid tribute to the technological achievements of the time. 

Accepted lore has it that in the end, the Queen couldn’t quite identify who held such a tremendous lead over the others.  She asked, "Who is first?" America has won, she was told. "Who is second," asked the Queen?  The reply, "Your Majesty, there is no second."

The victory moved the trophy to the New York Yacht Club and the competition was perpetually named The America’s Cup.  That first race was to showcase a country’s ability to build technologically superior sailing vessels, which were critical to each nation’s economy and the ability to transport cargo across the seas.

That tradition of technological superiority remains as the basis for the America’s Cup. Since that time, boat design and technology advances would lead the America’s Cup competitions to be held in schooners for 78 years, J-boats for 28 years, 12 meters for 34 years, and since 1992, the International America’s Cup Class (IACC) designs.

Below is a chronological brief covering the course of events in America’s Cup competitions to date.

1851 America

1870  Cambria the British challenger loses in the America's Cup against 14 New York Yacht Club yachts in New York Harbor

1871  New York Yacht Club used two yachts (allowed for the last time) & defeated the English boat Livonia

1876  Madeleine defeats the Countess of Dufferin

1877  Canada joins the competition, loses 2-0

1881  Canada repeats the loss, 2-0

1885  Centerboard cutter Puritan wins over England's Genesta 2-0

1886  A second Burgess design for the New York Yacht Club Mayflower bests England's Galatea 2-0

1887  Burgess design wins a third, Volunteer wins over Scotland's Thistle 2-0

1893 Designer Nat Herreshoft creates Viligant and wins 3-0 against Valkyrie

1895  Defender, another Herreshoft, defeats the Earl of Danraven again

1899  Sir Thomas Lipton's Shamrock loses to Columbia 3-0

1901  Columbia 3-0 over Shamrock II

1903  16,000 sq. ft. of sail on the Herreshoft designed Reliance triumphs over Lipton's Shamrock III

1920  The First World War and other events left a gap in challenges until Lipton, on Shamrock IV raced Herreshoft's last Cup boat Resolute, losing 3-0

1930  The great boats of the J-Class series debut with masts as tall as 165 ft. and over 80 ft. in length. Vanderbilt's Enterprise meets Lipton's Shamrock V  winning 4-0

1937  Ranger beats Endeavour II

1958  The Second World War and other events create another interruption in the competition. The 12-meter boats emerge and dominate for the next 34 years.  Columbia over England's Sceptre 4-0

1962  Australia challenges with Alan Payne's Gretel losing 4-1 to Weatherly

1964  Constellation defeats England 4-0

1967  Australia's Dame Pattie loses to Sparkman's and Stephen's Intrepid 4-0

1970  The introduction of the multiple challenger concept. Gretel II defeats France I, and Sweden's Sveridge to win the opportunity to challenge the U.S.

1974  Dennis Conner as helmsman on Courageous narrowly defeats Intrepid to defend. Courageous convincingly defeats Alan Bond's Australian boat Southern Cross 4-0

1977  Ted Turner's Courageous 4-0 over Australia that had defeated Gretel II, France I, and Sweden's Sveridge to challenge

1980  Freedom with Conner defeats Turner and Russell Long, then historic win over Bond's Australia 4-1

1983  A historic competition featuring the "winged keel" that helped Australia to win The Cup from the New York Yacht Club after 132 years as Australia II won 4-3 over the New York Yacht Club's Liberty. The Cup goes to Perth

1987  The field grows more internationally with 13 challengers; six from the United States. Stars and Stripes from the San Diego Yacht Club with a Conner-Burnham team dominates the Kookaburra, Australia's defender, in four straight.  Shortly after the victory in Perth, a unique, one-challenger competition is held in San Diego, based on fine details interpreted from the Deed of Trust.  Lovingly referred to as the "Big Boat Challenge," this involves designs that stretched the imagination (including a catamaran); the U.S. sustained its hold on The Cup. 

1992  IACC boats roughly 75 feet in length are introduced at the 28th Match in San Diego in 1992.  Bill Koch’s America 3 wins over Il Moro. 

1995  Peter Blake and his crew out sailed all.  The Cup moves to New Zealand.

2000  New Zealand does it again.  Never beaten, Team New Zealand sweeps Prada to keep The Cup. The Cup continues to reside at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland, New Zealand.  The next America’s Cup competition will be held in 2003.  

THE 14 BRITISH YACHTS DEFEATED BY THE SCHOONER AMERICA IN THE RACE AROUND THE ILSE OF WIGHT FOR THE HUNDRED-GUINEA CUP

Brilliant, schooner, 392 tons

Constance, schooner, 218 tons

Wyvern, schooner, 205 tons

Alarm, schooner, 193 tons

Beatrix, schooner, 161 tons

Gypsey Queen, schooner, 160 tons

Arrow, cutter, 84 tons

Mona, cutter, 82 tons

Bacchante, cutter, 80 tons

Ione, schooner, 75 tons

Freak, cutter, 60 tons

Eclipse, cutter, 50 tons

Volante, cutter, 48 tons

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What governs the America’s Cup?

• The regatta is governed by three sets of rules, the “America’s Cup Deed of Gift,” the “Protocol for America’s Cup XXXI” and the “Conditions of Match.” The Deed of Gift, written more than 100 years ago, established the event and governs it to this day. Representatives of the defender, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and challenger of record sign the protocol.  It will set down the rules for conducting the 31st defense of the Cup. The Conditions of Match, to be issued at least a year prior to the final match, will establish the specific dates of the races, and address a number technical issues relative to conducting the races.

What is the International America’s Cup Class?

• The International America’s Cup Class design grew out of a series of meetings with many of the world's yacht designers in an attempt to create a faster, more powerful monohull for the America’s Cup competition.  The result was the IACC Rule.  IACC boats are designed to specific measurements to qualify for competition in the America’s Cup Classes.  Many syndicates earmark nearly half their budget for boat research, design and construction.  Millions of dollars are spent on developments within these limits.

LOA                                        23.80 meters
Draft                                        4.00 meters
Beam                                       4.30 meters
Sail Area Upwind                   364      meters
Sail Area Downwind               730      meters
Displacement                    24,000      kg