America's Cup 2003 and Lois Vuitton Cup 2002-2003 New Zealand Race Dates Results Information and History

New Zealand was the holder of the America's Cup having won it in San Diego in 1995 and successfully defended it from the Prada challenge in 2000. Alas in February 2003 the cup was snatched by the Swiss Alinghi challenge thanks to the New Zealand crew members.

Russell Coutts with the America's Cup

The next Louis Vuitton Cup and America's Cup will be held somewhere in Europe in 2006 or 2007. A time and a place should be known by the end of 2003. Racing for the cup will at a new level in the northern hemisphere. The Swiszealand team want to make the races more of a television event with racing close to vantage points and at a location where winds and the timing of race starts can be reliable.

Team New Zealand is holding a post mortem on the 5-0 clean sweep cup loss and hopefully putting together another challenge and securing funding before more of the talent pool disappear.

We look forward to the next series and wish Team Alinghi and Switzerland all the best

In memory of Sir Peter Blake KBE 1948-2001 - New Zealand's greatest yachtsman

America's Cup

Team New Zealand's first of two new boats, NZL81launched by Lady Pippa Blake August 27, 2002

America's Cup History

In 1848, Queen Victoria authorized the creation of a "One Hundred Guinea Cup" of solid silver (134oz), 27" tall for a yacht race "open to all nations."
In 1851 one American boat challenged 16 English ships. The Royal Yacht "Squadron" of Cowes, England was the host. The New York Yacht Club entry was the schooner "America." W.H. Brown, the designer, was so confident of his design that he refused payment if "America" did not win. The oft-quoted remark by the Queen was sparked by a great lead and victory around the Isle of Wight over the 16 other yachts. She asked, "Who is first?" "America" has won, she was told. "Who was second," asked the Queen? The reply still echoes - "Your Majesty, there is no second."
In 30 defenses since then, the interplay of national pride, giant egos, wide-ranging brilliant designs, and now modern technology, have kept the cup very much alive. The 132 years of successful defense by the New York Yacht Club remains the longest record in sports history. Sir Thomas Lipton tried for 31 years to win The Cup, commencing in 1899. From schooners, to J-boats, to 12 meters to the current IOAC designs, men's brains, wits, skills and money have been locked in sea-swept combat.
We enclose a chronology of events, winners and losers. New Zealand rightfully holds The Cup and will host the challenge in Auckland in the year 2003.

Historical Chronology

1851 "America"

1870 "Cambria, the British challenger loses 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 battle, loses 2-0

1881 Canada encore loses 2-0

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

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

1887 A "hat trick" for "Burgess"; his third win, "Volunteer" wins over Scotland's "Thistle" 2-0

1893 A truly great design, 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 against 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" in Newport, R.I., winning 4-0

1937 Ranger beats Endeavour II

1958 - 1987 The 12 meter boats dominate

1958 "Columbia" over England's "Sceptre" 4-0

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

1964 "Constellation" swamps 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 challenge

1974 Dennis Conner as helmsman on "Courageous" beats "Intrepid" to defend. "Courageous" 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 The stage was set. The "winged keel" helped Australia to wrest 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 A true world match: 13 challengers, six from the United States. "Stars and Stripes" from the San Diego Yacht Club with a Conner-Burnham team slamming the "Kookaburra", Australia's defender, in four straight

1992

1995

The Cup comes back to the United States with Bill Koch aboard America 3.

Peter Blake and company out sailed all in 1995 returning The Cup to New Zealand.

1999-2000 New Zealand does it again, weeps Prada to keep The Cup.

2003 Swiss Alinghi Challenge take the cup from New Zealand to Europe

The crowds in Auckland after retaining the cup in 2000

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