The 1983

Louis Vuitton Cup The Louis Vuitton Cup was the name of the Challenger Selection Series sailing competition from 1983, named after its sponsor, Louis Vuitton. The winner of the competition became the challenger to compete with the defender of the America's Cu ...

was held in

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...

, United States in 1983. The winner,

Australia II ''Australia II'' (KA 6) is an Australian 12-metre-class America's Cup challenge racing yacht that was launched in 1982 and won the 1983 America's Cup for the Royal Perth Yacht Club. Skippered by John Bertrand, she was the first successful ...

, went on to challenge for the

1983 America's Cup The 1983 America's Cup was a 12-metre class yacht race which pitted the defending New York Yacht Club's ''Liberty'' against the Royal Perth Yacht Club's challenger, ''Australia II''. The September 1983 match race was won by ''Australia II'' ...

The teams

Australia II (AUS)

Owned by

Alan Bond Alan Bond (22 April 1938 – 5 June 2015) was an English-born Australian businessman noted for his high-profile and often corrupt business dealings. These included his central role in the WA Inc scandals of the 1980s, and what was at the time ...

and helmed by John Bertrand, ''

'' featured an innovative

winged keel The winged keel is a sailboat keel layout first fitted on the 12-metre class yacht ''Australia II'', 1983 America's Cup winner. Design This layout was adopted by Ben Lexcen, designer of ''Australia II''. Although Ben Lexcen "had tried the winged ...

design developed by

Ben Lexcen Benjamin Lexcen AM (born Robert Clyde Miller, 19 March 1936 – 1 May 1988) was an Australian yachtsman and marine architect. He is famous for the winged keel design applied to ''Australia II'' which, in 1983, became the first non-American yac ...

which helped to make it point higher, sail faster and be quicker in coming about. The boat was innovative in a number of ways, but the winged keel was the most striking design advance and the distinguishing feature of the boat. The

New York Yacht Club The New York Yacht Club (NYYC) is a private social club and yacht club based in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1844 by nine prominent sportsmen. The members have contributed to the sport of yachting and yacht design. ...

challenged the legality of the keel design, but it was ruled to be legal. ''Australia II'' dominated the Louis Vuitton Cup and took the trophy, earning the right to compete in the

. The ''Australia II'' team was:

William Baillieu William Lawrence Baillieu (29 April 1859 – 6 February 1936) was an Australian financier and politician. He was a successful businessman, having developed significant business interests from his relatively humble beginnings. He associated with m ...

Colin Beashall Colin may refer to: * Colin (given name) * Colin (surname) * ''Colin'' (film), a 2008 Cannes film festival zombie movie * Colin (horse) (1905–1932), thoroughbred racehorse * Colin (humpback whale), a humpback whale calf abandoned north of Sydney, ...

, Ken Beashall, John Bertrand,

, Rob Brown,

Peter Costello Peter Howard Costello (born 14 August 1957) is an Australian businessman, lawyer and former politician who served as the treasurer of Australia in government of John Howard from 1996 to 2007. He is the longest-serving treasurer in Australia' ...

, Damian Fewster, John Fitzhardinge,

Michael Fletcher Michael Edward Fletcher (born February 17, 1977) is a former professional Canadian football linebacker. On February 16, 2009, he became a free agent. As of May 9, 2011, Fletcher is a defensive co-ordinator for Paramount High School's football t ...

, Lesleigh Green, James Hardy, Stephen Harrison, Laurie Hayden, Warren Jones,

Kenneth Judge Kenneth is an English given name and surname. The name is an Anglicised form of two entirely different Gaelic personal names: ''Cainnech'' and '' Cináed''. The modern Gaelic form of ''Cainnech'' is ''Coinneach''; the name was derived from a byna ...

, Phillip Judge,

, Cole (Skip) Lissiman,

John Longley Major-general (United Kingdom), Major General Sir John Raynsford Longley (7 March 1867 – 13 February 1953) was a British Army officer who reached high command during World War I. Military career Educated at Cheltenham College,

Scott McAllister Scott McAllister (born 1969) is an American composer and clarinetist. Born in Vero Beach, Florida, McAllister received a DMA from Rice University. He is particularly noted for his pieces featuring clarinet, including ''Black Dog'' (based on hard r ...

Ken O'Brien Kenneth John O'Brien Jr. (born November 27, 1960) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles. When he retired he was the only Jets quarterback to have ever ...

, Michael Quilter, Glenn Read,

David Rees David or Dai Rees may refer to: Entertainment * David Rees (author) (1936–1993), British children's author * Dave Rees (born 1969), American drummer for SNFU and Wheat Chiefs * David Rees (cartoonist) (born 1972), American cartoonist and televis ...

Mark Reid Mark Reid (born 15 September 1961) is a Scottish retired professional footballer who played as a left back. Reid made over 350 appearances in the Scottish and English Football Leagues between 1980 and 1993. Career Born in Kilwinning, Reid play ...

, Brian Richardson, Newton Roberts,

Tom Schnackenberg Thomas William Schnackenberg (born 11 May 1945) is a New Zealand sailor and yacht designer best known for his involvement with the America's Cup. He was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame in 2000. Schnackenberg attended Auckland Gram ...

, Edward Silbereisen,

Grant Simmer Grant Simmer (born 1957) is an Australian sailor and yacht designer who has competed in multiple America's Cups. He sailed as navigator on ''Australia II'' when it won the 1983 America's Cup. He stayed with Alan Bond's syndicate and was navig ...

, Phillip Smidmore, Hugh Treharne and David Wallace.

Victory (GBR)

Peter de Savary Peter John de Savary (11 July 1944 – 30 October 2022) was a British businessman. The bulk of his business career was spent in the shipping, oil and property sectors. He once owned or managed 13 shipyards around the globe and had global oil-tr ...

funded the Royal Burnham Yacht Club's Victory Syndicate. The team used three skippers over the Cup: Phil Crebbin,

Lawrie Smith Lawrie is a (patronymic or paternal) family name of Scottish origin which means "crafty." Variants of which include: Laurie, Lorrie, Larry, Laury, Lawry and Lowrie. It is also used as a given name, often a short form (hypocorism) of Lawrence. Surn ...

and

Rodney Pattisson Rodney Stuart Pattisson, Order of the British Empire, MBE (born 5 August 1943) is a British yachtsman. He is a double Olympic gold medalist in sailing won at the Sailing_at_the_1968_Summer_Olympics_–_Flying_Dutchman, 1968 Mexico City Olympics ...

. The crew included

Chris Law Christopher Murray Alexander Law (born 21 October 1969) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dundee West since 2015. He was first elected at the 2015 general election, winning a seat t ...

, Robin Fuger,

Harold Cudmore Harold Cudmore, (born April 21, 1944) is an Irish sailor. Born and raised in Cork, Harold Cudmore became an internationally famous yacht racing skipper and match racer. Cudmore had success in classes from the International 505, where he plac ...

, who quit the campaign before the start of the Cup, and future

America's Cup Hall of Fame The America's Cup Hall of Fame, located at the Herreshoff Marine Museum of Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, honors individuals for outstanding achievement in the America's Cup sailing competition. Candidates eligible for consideration include skippers, ...

Dean Phipps Dean Phipps is a New Zealand sailor who has competed in eight America's Cups. Phipps was a part of the Victory ’83 challenge for the 1983 Louis Vuitton Cup and sailed on '' Australia IV'' during the 1987 Defender Selection Series. He was the ...

, racing in his first America's Cup. Two boats were constructed; ''Victory of Burnham'' (K 21), ''Victory '83'' (K 22), although K 22 was ultimately used in the Cup. The team also purchased two boats from the

1980 Herbert Pell Cup The 1980 Herbert Pell Cup was held in Newport, Rhode Island, United States in 1980. The winner, Australia, was awarded the Herbert Pell Cup and went on to challenge for the 1980 America's Cup. In a defenders selection series that was held simu ...

to use in trials; ''

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

'' (renamed as ''Temeraire'') and '' Lionheart''.

Challenge 12 (AUS)

Owned by a number of Australian businessmen from Victoria headed by Dick Pratt. ''Challenge 12'' was also designed by Lexcen and sold to the Victorian challenge after the Bond syndicate selected ''Australia II''. She was a fast, traditional 12 Meter, and lacked the winged keel of her sister boat ''Australia II''. John Bertrand favored her initially, but was talked into sailing the new design by Alan Bond. She may have been superior to Australia II in heavy winds, and was a real threat to the men from the West of Australia. During the Louis Vuitton Cup, ''Challenge 12'' was skippered by John Savage and the crew included Graeme 'Frizzle' Freeman,

(later ''Australia II's'' sailing coach) and Damian Fewster (who later sailed with ''Australia II'' in the America's Cup victory as a replacement crew member). ''Challenge 12'' was later used to prepare ''

'' for the America's Cup and was skippered by James Hardy.

Azzurra (ITA)

Managed by

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo Luca Cordero di Montezemolo (; born 31 August 1947) is an Italian businessman, former Chairman of Ferrari, and formerly Chairman of Fiat S.p.A. and President of Confindustria and FIEG. He comes from an aristocratic family from the region of Piedm ...

and funded by

Aga Khan IV Shāh Karim al-Husayni (born 13 December 1936), known by the religious title Mawlānā Hazar Imam by his Ismaili followers and elsewhere as Aga Khan IV, is the 49th and current Imam of Nizari Ismailis, a denomination within Shia Islam. He ha ...

and

Gianni Agnelli Giovanni "Gianni" Agnelli (; 12 March 192124 January 2003), nicknamed ("The Lawyer"), was an Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat. As the head of Fiat, he controlled 4.4% of Italy's GDP, 3.1% of its industrial workforce a ...

, Azzurra was formed in 1982. Ambrosini was involved with the construction of the yacht ''Azzurra'' (I-4), and they proved to be a competitive new challenge. Skippered by Cino Ricci and with

Mauro Pelaschier Mauro Pelaschier (born 29 April 1949) is an Italian sailor. He competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics and the 1976 Summer Olympics Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enter ...

on the helm, the original Azzurra team won 24 of 49 races and developed a large and loyal following in Italy.

France 3 (FRA)

''France 3'', skippered by Bruno Troublé, returned for its second challenge for the America's Cup. The syndicate was financed by Yves Roussert-Rouard who had purchased the boat from

Marcel Bich Marcel Louis Michel Antoine Bich, baron Bich (; 29 July 1914 – 30 May 1994) was an Italian-born, French manufacturer and co-founder of Bic, the world's leading producer of ballpoint pens, lighters, and razors. Early years Bich was born in Tur ...

who had financed the first four French challenges. The syndicate was hampered by money problems and an inexperienced crew.

Canada (CAN)

Canada returned to the Cup as a challenger for the first time in over a hundred years. Their boat ''Canada'' would be completely revamped and compete again three years later at the 1987 Cup as ''

Canada II ''Canada II'' is a 12-metre class yacht that competed in the 1987 Louis Vuitton Cup. The boat's designer was Bruce Kirby and the boat was built by Fred McConnell Marine, Ltd, of Parry Sound, Ontario. The boat's original home was in Halfmoon Ba ...

''.

Advance (AUS)

A Sydney challenger owned and run by Australian sailing legend,

Syd Fischer Syd Fischer, (born 4 March 1927 in Sydney) is an Australian businessman and property developer and sailor. Most noted for his sailing, Fischer is described as Australia's most successful offshore sailor. He has skippered numerous yachts, notab ...

. A very radical but ultimately slow design by Alan Payne, the designer of Gretel I and II. Skippered by 18-foot skiff champion, Iain Murray.

Finals

Semi-finals

''11 – 24 August''
In the semi-finals the four qualifiers sailed against each other competitor three times.Bruno Trouble ''The Louis Vuitton Cup: 25 Years'' pp. 170–172 ''Australia II'' and ''Victory '83'' advanced to the finals.Victory 83 Gains Challenger Final
''New York Times'', 22 August 1983

Final

''28 August – 8 September''
''Australia II'' defeated ''Victory '83'' 4–1 in the final to win the Louis Vuitton Cup and go on to compete in the

America's Cup The America's Cup, informally known as the Auld Mug, is a trophy awarded in the sport of sailing. It is the oldest international competition still operating in any sport. America's Cup match races are held between two sailing yachts: one f ...

References

{{America'sCup

1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to Internet protocol suite, TCP/IP is officially completed (this is consid ...

1983 in American sports

12-metre class 1983 America's Cup