The Challenge 1983

The Challenge 1983

The 1983 America’s Cup was the occasion of the first winning challenge to the New York Yacht Club who had successfully defended the cup for 132 years.

The Australian syndicate headed by Australian business entrepreneur Alan Bond, representing the Royal Perth Yacht Club, won the match races to win the America’s Cup, which ended the longest winning streak in sporting history.

Never before had an Australian team won the right to be the Challenger

Alan Bond arrived at Newport with Australia II, billed as one of the biggest threats to American dominance of the 12 Metre class. The boat was designed by Ben Lexcen and skippered by John Bertrand. The revolutionary “winged” keel of the Australian yacht was a subject of controversy from the outset of the challenger series, with the New York Yacht club alleging that the winged keel boat was not a legal 12 Meter, and that the keel design itself was the result of Dutch engineers, and not by Lexcen. This second point would make Australia II illegal under the requirement that the boat be “designed and constructed in country” as the Deed of Gift that governed the competition stipulated. The boat was ruled a legal 12 Metrer, and she was allowed to participate in the regatta. The speed of the new contender, along with the controversy and protests intensified international media attention to the series.

Australia II dominated the challenger series and entered the America’s Cup finals as the most promising contender to date. She suffered equipment failure in the first two races against the American defender Liberty, then split the next two before coming back from 3-1 down to win the final three races and the America’s Cup. In winning the seventh and deciding race on 26 September 1983, Australia II became the first successful challenger in 132 years.

Author : GORE, Philip (editor); Paul A Darling & J.H.Peterson (photographers) Donna Cross (illustrations)

Publisher Lyon Productions : Published 1984

Limited Edition. (1000 copies).

Black leather binding with gold title on front board, raised bars on backstrip with gold titling.

Book rests in Rosewood box with velour interior and brass plate on outside.

Book 310pp, size: Folio, art quality paper,

The colour photographs are protected with tissueguards.

A handsigned letter from the Commodore of the New York Yacht Club, Robert G Stone.

The 1983 America’s Cup was the occasion of the first winning challenge to the New York Yacht Club who had successfully defended the cup for 132 years.

The Australian syndicate headed by Australian business entrepreneur Alan Bond, representing the Royal Perth Yacht Club, won the match races to win the America’s Cup, which ended the longest winning streak in sporting history.

SKU: P1520