26 September 1983, Newport in the US state of Rhode Island. The decisive 7th race in the 25th America's Cup is shot. The score is 3:3 in the epochal match between the defending US yacht "Liberty" with Dennis Conner on the wheels and the Australians under John Bertrand with their radical "Australia II", the challengers.
They had fought off a seemingly hopeless 3:1 deficit to the Americans and levelled the score at 3:3. After a long challenge round, measurement problems, espionage, accusations. Sport at its toughest away from the ring. The boat had not been constructed in Australia in accordance with the rules, but with the help of a Dutchman. As a result, it should be banned, keyword wing keel.
The head of the loser as a cup substitute
There was a lot at stake. Prestige, pride, honour. Just like always, really, if it weren't for the historical component. The trophy had already been sailed for 132 years, first won by the "America" in the race around the Isle of Wight in England, then the ugly silver jug, often labelled "bottomless", was donated as a trophy for an international regatta between friendly clubs, which developed into the nucleus of competitive sailing and repeatedly produced the fastest and most sophisticated boats in the world.
132 years! No other sports trophy in the world has been fought over for so long. The defending New York Yacht Club, guardian and supposed tenant of the winning streak, sent Dennis Conner into the race after a series of US eliminations, a man whom the organisers trusted because they had to, but whom they didn't like. The carpet dealer from San Diego was too shirt-sleeved for the grandees with the round straw hats in their club uniform. Some of them growled that Conner's head would be on display in the club's showcase if the trophy went down under.
26 September 1983. 3:3 ... The rest is history. And Conner was able to keep his head, win the trophy once again and bring it home to San Diego, much to the renewed chagrin of the New York Yacht Club, which has only known the silverware from afar ever since. But that's another story.
Strong images in poor quality
The story of the dramatic 25th America's Cup, "Liberty" versus "Australia II", USA versus Australia, Conner versus Bertrand, big versus small, is now told in a documentary on Netflix that is well worth watching. In terms of imagery, it's all 80s, even in terms of quality, but peppered with lots of original sound bites and interviews with the visibly aged protagonists, who are still heroes today.
