America's Cup

International yacht-racing trophy named after the US schooner America, owned by J C Stevens, who won a race around the Isle of Wight in 1851.

Offered for a challenge in 1870, it is a nine-race series. A preliminary competition, the Louis Vuitton Cup, is held to determine which boat will challenge the defending champion in the America's Cup. The USA monopolized the race until 1983, when an Australian crew won the trophy. All races were held at Newport, Rhode Island, until 1987 when the Perth Yacht Club, Australia, hosted the series. In 2000, the defending champions, New Zealand, defeated the Italian Prada syndicate. It was the first time that a nation other than the USA has won the America's Cup in consecutive years, as well as the first time that there was no US competitor in the final, after the challenger AmericaOne was defeated by the Italian challenger Prada off Auckland, New Zealand.