THE STORY OF THE AMERICA’S CUP 1851-2021

The America’s Cup has been the world’s most prestigious and contentious yacht race for almost 170 years. In 1851 the first contest, sailed around the Isle of Wight, was won by the New York pilot boat America. Named in honour of that first winner, the America’s Cup races were dominated by American yachts and held in American waters for well over a century. Finally, in 1983, Australia II demonstrated that it was indeed possible for another country to win; in 1995 Black Magic won for New Zealand.

With the arrival of foiling catamarans in 2013 the America’s Cup entered an entirely new era, with boats far beyond the aspirations of most sailors, injecting the Cup with the dramatic change it needed. The 2017 match was notable for the last-minute appearance of Emirates Team New Zealand with cyclists manning the winches. They won the Cup that year, and in 2021 introduced the foiling monohull as the new race boat.

This fully-updated new edition of The Story of America’s Cup

tells the story of the Cup and the battles of the finalists (both on and off the water), from the very first race between America and Great Britain in 1851, to the most recent in 2021.

This large format book is illustrated by Tim Thompson whose unique and beautiful paintings depict dramatic scenes from every match since the competition began. The text includes detailed descriptions of the boats, including the latest technologies used to create the sensational racing machines they are today. www.batemanbooks.co.nz