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