| When you talk about the best sailing competitions in | | | | America for the land down under. |
| the world, all discussions start and end with The | | | | Today, the America's Cup comprises a best-of-nine |
| America's Cup. It is by far the most popular and the | | | | series between only two competitors. It pits the winner |
| most heralded regatta in the sports of sailing. Known | | | | of the Louis Vuitton Cup and the reigning champion. |
| as the Holy Grail of yachting, The America's Cup is | | | | The Louis Vuitton Cup has its own series of races and |
| also the oldest active international competition where a | | | | the winner earns the right to compete in The |
| trophy is at stake. It is older than the FA Cup by over | | | | America's Cup. It began in 1970. Like before, whoever |
| 20 years and older than the Modern Olympics by | | | | win The America's Cup race gets to take the cup |
| nearly five decades. It is no wonder why the best | | | | home to their local yacht club. |
| sailors and leading yacht designers and manufacturers | | | | The prestige surrounding the Cup has also captured |
| in the world all come out, eager to make their | | | | the fancy of film makers. For example, in 1992, the film |
| presence felt, when The America's Cup comes | | | | "Wind" was released and it focused on Dennis |
| around. | | | | conner's loss to Australia in 1983 and his successful |
| The Cup is named after the very first winner of this | | | | effort to re-capture the Cup during the next series. In |
| competition, a schooner called America, which won the | | | | addition, the Goodyear Tire Company has established |
| Cup in 1852. In this competition, the trophy stays in the | | | | a tradition of naming its commercial blimps after the |
| hands of the winner until the next competition and only | | | | America's Cup champion. This is because the |
| changes hands if the champion is dislodged. The | | | | company's former chairman, Paul Litchfield, believed |
| schooner America prevailed in this event for a stunning | | | | that blimps are "aerial yachts" which is why he started |
| 132 years, a record for the longest winning streak in | | | | the tradition. Over the years, the blimps have had such |
| sports history, before relinquishing it in 1983 to Australia | | | | colorful names as Stars & Stripes, Mayflower, |
| II from Australia. After over a century, the Cup left | | | | Enterprise and, of course, America. |