TERRY MADDAFORD digs up some intriguing trivia about the Cup.
* The first person to challenge for the America's Cup after the Americans had won it from the English was Briton John Ashbury, in 1869. He later emigrated to New Zealand, more than 100 years before this country lodged a challenge.
There had been some talk of a New Zealand challenge as early as 1921, but it never eventuated.
* When New Zealand did eventually challenge in Fremantle in 1987, they were part of the biggest challengers' fleet - 13 syndicates challenged that year. New Zealand were the innovators, building the first fibreglass 12m boats KZ3, KZ5 and KZ7.
* The red socks are still very much part of Team New Zealand. Chief executive Ross Blackman was seen this week wearing a pair. They made their first "very public" appearance in 1995, when the Herald's yachting writer Suzanne McFadden brought the story of Peter Blake's stocking footwear to the world. No one would ever have imagined what was to follow. And, when injury forced Blake off the boat, meaning the red socks did not sail, the unthinkable happened: New Zealand lost their only race of the regatta, but bounced back to win the cup. The rest, red socks and all, is, as they say, history.
* The challenge mounted by Canadian Alexander Cuthbertson in 1881 was notable for several reasons. He is the only person in cup history to design, build and race his own boat. Perhaps he wished he had not bothered. His yacht Atalanta went down by the biggest losing margin, 38m 54s, to American defender Mischief, the first iron boat to sail in the cup.
* In having sail numbers USA66 and USA77 for his 2002 campaign, Dennis Conner continued his double-digit tradition, which began with USA55 in 1987, USA11 in 1992 and USA55 for a second time in 2000. While 77 is regarded as perhaps the luckiest number, it should be remembered it was the boat bearing that number that broke its rudder and sank off Long Beach last year. Crew members point out that their luck stayed with them as the mishap came in shallow waters. Anything deeper and they might have lost the boat altogether.
* More on sail numbers. Whatever happened to RUS24, one of a number of boats being prepared for the 1992 regatta? It disappeared along with the Soviet Union and has never been seen in public. AUS35, as oneAustralia, was seen on the race course, but then sank and is still on the sea floor somewhere off San Diego. What began as FRA40 was launched by a short-lived French syndicate. The hull was then finished in Switzerland and tested in Auckland. It's now seen regularly on the Auckland Harbour carrying daytrippers and bearing sail No NZL40.
* The 2000 America's Cup was the only regatta in almost 150 years in which the United States did not sail. Italian syndicate Prada knocked AmericaOne out in that cliffhanger Louis Vuitton final 5-4 and went on to challenge Team New Zealand for the cup, losing 5-0.
* America, the first boat to win the coveted trophy, was built in 1850 at a cost of US$30,000. No talk about millions and billionaires in those days.
* Skirts are nothing new in the America's Cup. Scottish challenger Thistle sported canvas screens to hide their underbelly from prying New Yorkers at the time of their 1887 challenge. They needn't have bothered, as they lost 2-0 to Volunteer.
* The largest yacht ever to race in the America's Cup was 1903 defender Reliance, which beat Shamrock III, 3-0, in a series which brought two tragedies to the cup. A crewman on Shamrock died on board when her mast snapped, and an American sailor was lost overboard from Reliance.
* What do Sir Thomas Lipton and Syd Fischer have in common? They might have shared a love for drinking tea, but on the water they hold the record as five-time losers in challenging for the Auld Mug. Had he not died in 1931, when planning a sixth challenge, Lipton may well have had the record to himself.
* After being sailed for many years on New York Harbour, the America's Cup was moved to Newport Rhode Island in 1930. Why? Because the masts of the J Boats were so tall they could not pass under many of the East River bridges. Enterprise, the defender for that 1930 challenge by Shamrock V, was the first cup boat to sport an alloy mast. It must have worked. They won 4-0.
* Winning the cup by beating Young America in 1995 was not the first time New Zealand had "held" the famous trophy. In 1988 they held the cup briefly when an American court awarded the Auld Mug to New Zealand following the "Big Boat" challenge. That decision was later reversed, on appeal, and the cup returned to Dennis Conner and his San Diego syndicate.
* When Russell Coutts beat Italy's Luna Rossa in the first four races in 2000, he equalled American Charlie Barr's record for the most successive wins, nine straight. Coutts could have set the record at 10, but handed the helm to Dean Barker for the last race.
* The starting sequence is a regimented affair with all races controlled by flags and guns. The first gunshot, and D flag (attention signal), comes 11 minutes before the start. The first warning signal another gunshot and F flag (which replaces D flag) follows a minute later. The second warning comes at six minutes (when F flag is dropped). The "preparatory signal" (gun plus P flag) comes five minutes from the start (the beginning of the pre-start duel as the yachts enter the course from their respective sides). The start is signalled by the dropping of P flag and a fourth gun.
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nzherald.co.nz/americascup
Racing schedule and results
America's Cup trivia - red socks, sinkings and the numbers game
TERRY MADDAFORD digs up some intriguing trivia about the Cup.
* The first person to challenge for the America's Cup after the Americans had won it from the English was Briton John Ashbury, in 1869. He later emigrated to New Zealand, more than 100 years before this country lodged a challenge.
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