America's Cup (34th)
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| America's Cup (34th) | |
|---|---|
| Name | 34th America's Cup |
| Sport | Yacht racing |
| Competition | America's Cup |
| Location | San Diego, California, United States |
| Dates | 1987 |
| Teams | 13 (Challengers), 1 Defender |
| Champion | Royal Perth Yacht Club (Australia) – Kookaburra III / Australia II |
| Runner-up | New York Yacht Club – Stars & Stripes 87 |
| Previous | 33rd America's Cup |
| Next | 35th America's Cup |
America's Cup (34th) The 34th America's Cup, contested in 1987, was a landmark regatta that transferred the oldest international trophy in sailing from the New York Yacht Club to the Royal Perth Yacht Club. The event followed an extensive challenger selection series and culminated in a high-profile match in San Diego, involving cutting-edge yacht design, advances in sail technology, and international teams from Australia, France, Italy, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, and Japan. The result had far-reaching consequences for professional sailing syndicates, yacht architecture, and the commercialisation of the America's Cup.
Background and bidding process
The 34th edition arose from the 1983 upset when Australia II of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron defeated the New York Yacht Club after 132 years, prompting the defender to be hosted by the Royal Perth Yacht Club under the terms of the Deed of Gift. Bidders for the challenger series included syndicates from San Diego Yacht Club, Cercle de la Voile de Paris, Yacht Club Italiano, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and Royal Thames Yacht Club, among others. The challenger selection process was organized as the Louis Vuitton Cup, attracting entrants such as New Zealand Challenge, Azzurra, France II, and Desafio Español. The International Yacht Racing Union framework and the Deed of Gift stipulations shaped venue negotiations, measurement rules, and the composition of syndicates led by figures like Alan Bond, Dennis Conner, Tomtrial?.
Competitors and teams
Defence was mounted by the Australian syndicate backed by Alan Bond and skippered by John Bertrand and later crewed by luminaries from Australia. Challengers included San Diego Yacht Club's Stars & Stripes campaign led by Dennis Conner with designers from Sparks Design and builders from Beneteau-affiliated yards; Team New Zealand entries featuring designers such as Bruce Farr; Azzurra backed by Loro Piana financiers; France II with support from Pierre Agostini; and Italian campaigns under the Yacht Club Italiano banner. Key personnel across syndicates encompassed designers, boatbuilders, and navigators associated with Naval architecture firms, including names like Ben Lexcen (noted for revolutionary winged keel concepts), Greg Elliott, and Phil Hellberg. The international makeup included crew from Australia, United States, New Zealand, Italy, France, Canada, and Japan.
Race format and rules
Racing followed the prevailing 12-metre and monohull measurement conventions derived from the Deed of Gift and supplemented by the International Yacht Racing Union's measurement rules. The regatta comprised the Challenger Selection Series (the Louis Vuitton Cup) to determine the official challenger, followed by a best-of-seven final Match against the defender for the America's Cup trophy. Courses were windward-leeward layouts with designated marks and starting procedures governed by the International Sailing Federation protocols. Protest and arbitration procedures involved umpires and jury panels drawn from national authorities such as the United States Sailing Association and Yachting New Zealand.
Course, venue and schedule
The 1987 Cup was hosted off San Diego Bay and the adjacent Pacific waters, chosen for reliable breezes, spectator access, and infrastructure at the San Diego Yacht Club. Racecourses were set across fixed buoys and mid-ocean marks with committee boats launched from Coronado and Point Loma areas. The schedule included a multi-week series of preliminary matches culminating in the Louis Vuitton Cup final in mid-season and the America's Cup match in September. Local authorities, including the City of San Diego and United States Coast Guard units, coordinated maritime safety, while television broadcasters such as ESPN and ITV provided international coverage.
Race summaries and results
The Louis Vuitton Cup saw intense competition, with syndicates such as Stars & Stripes, New Zealand Challenge, and Azzurra advancing through round-robins and knockout stages. In the America's Cup match the challenger, representing the Royal Perth Yacht Club with boats including Kookaburra III and Australia II, prevailed over the New York Yacht Club defender after a series of tactical matches emphasizing upwind speed, exploring centerboard and keel tuning strategies, and exploiting local sea breezes. The final result transferred the Cup and showcased advances in sail materials, mast rigging, and hull forms pioneered by teams including Ben Lexcen's design group and Bruce Farr's lofts. Media accounts in outlets such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and Le Monde chronicled the races.
Controversies and legal disputes
The 34th Cup era was marked by disputes over measurement interpretations under the Deed of Gift and protests lodged regarding construction timelines, design legality, and on-water incidents. High-profile litigation involved syndicates contesting eligibility, protested jury decisions, and interpretation of yacht measurement certificates issued by national authorities like the Royal Australian Yacht Squadron and United States Sailing Association. Allegations concerning copying of design features and disputes over crew nationalities prompted arbitration panels convened under International Court of Arbitration for Sport-style mechanisms and public debate in maritime law circles including scholars from Harvard Law School and University of Auckland.
Legacy and impact on yacht racing
The 1987 America's Cup catalysed professionalisation across syndicates, stimulated growth in specialist roles in naval architecture, composite materials manufacturing, and marine electronics suppliers. It accelerated innovation in keel design, sailcloth technology, and team management structures, influencing subsequent campaigns such as those by Team New Zealand and Alinghi. The transfer of the Cup ended the New York Yacht Club's long dominance and reshaped international sponsorship, broadcasting contracts, and yacht design competitions. The event's institutional and legal precedents affected future interpretations of the Deed of Gift and governance by bodies like the International Sailing Federation and contributed to America's Cup evolutions that led to multihull and foiling classes in later editions.