The people involved in organising the 150th Anniversary of the America's Cup organised by the Royal Yacht Squadron in conjunction with the New York Yacht Club, Cowes, 18th to 25th August 2001.
His Serene Highness the Aga Khan is a keen sailor and creator of the Porto
Cervo Yacht Club in Sardinia. He is Chairman of the International 12 metre
Committee and has challenged for the America's Cup in 1983 and in 1987 with
the Porto Cervo Yacht Club under the direction of Commandantore Gianfranco
Alberini.
Prince Albert's descendant, Andreas Prinz von Coburg has agreed to be a
Vice-President for the regatta. Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert
created the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London's Hyde Park - the first
World's Fair. As part of the celebrations, he encouraged the finest yachts in
the world to come to Cowes. In that year, the Royal Yacht Squadron organised
a race around the Isle of Wight for its £100 cup. The race was won by America
. The rest if history - and that is what will be celebrated.
The Earl of Dunraven is descended from Lord Dunraven who challenged for the
America's Cup in 1893, losing to Vigilant. Lord Dunraven was a journalist,
politician and yachtsman. He wrote a book called 'The Practice and Theory of
Navigation'. The current (7th) Earl was born in 1939 and lives in Ireland.
In 1895, Halsey Herreshoff's grandfather Nathanael Herreshoff sailed to
Cowes to race against the Squadron in Niagara. Herreshoff became one of the
world's most celebrated designers, with many America's Cup defenders to his
credit. Halsey is the creator of the Herreshoff Foundation, collecting and
restoring as many Herreshoff designs as is practical. Situated in Bristol,
RI, the Herreshoff Museum houses the America's Cup Hall of Fame and has an
annual induction ceremony. In 2001 the ceremony will be at the Jubilee event.
The America's Cup Jubilee regatta was launched at an induction ceremony of
the America's Cup Hall of Fame at a Greenwich, London in November 1998.
Olin Stephens - Olin J. Stephens began his career as self-taught sailor on
Barnstable Bay, Massachusetts. Olin apprenticing in yacht design under Philip
Rhodes, With his father's backing, the 21-year old Olin entered into a
partnership with the already successful yacht broker Drake Sparkman, and
Sparkman & Stephens, Inc. was formed. In 1958, the America's Cup races were
revived after the Second World War. The 'J's had been decimated by the war
efforts and the less expensive 12 metre yachts were introduced by an
amendment to the Deed of Gift in 1956. Just prior to the outbreak of World
War II, in the summer of 1939, Harold Vanderbilt commissioned a 12 metre
'VIM' from designer Olin Stephens and raced in England. Olin Stephen's 12
metre was still competitive enough to be used in the trials for the 1962
Challenge by Frank Packer's Australian Challenge.…
Patrizio Bertelli was responsible for the Prada challenge from Italy in
Auckland earlier this year. The Prada Italian Challenge is Challenge of
Record for the 2002/3 America's Cup in Auckland New Zealand
Italy has participated in four America's Cups. In 1983 in Newport, RI with
the 12 M "Azzurra", then in 1987, Perth, Australia with the 12 M's, "Azzurra"
and "Italia". In 1992, Italy sailed in San Diego, with the IACC "Il Moro di
Venezia", With helmsman Paul Cayard, Italy won the Louis Vuitton Cup by 5-3
against Team New Zealand. In the America's Cup Il Moro lost by 4-1 against
Bill Koch's America3 (San Diego Yacht Club). This year, S. Bertelli's Prada
Challenger 'Luna Rossa' reached the final of the America's Cup, being beaten
by New Zealand..
Christopher Bland is Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight and as such,
represents Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the Island.
Elizabeth Meyer, Member of the New York Yacht Club. Founder of the
International Yacht Restoration School in Newport RI. Responsible for
restoring many wonderful yachts and she must be thanked for the recovery of
the J boat Endeavour and is currently supervising the rebuild of Shamrock V.
With Velsheda, three 'J's will be racing in the Jubilee regatta.…
Henry H Anderson is a Founder ITMA (International 12 metre Association) and a
former IYRU (International Yacht Racing Union) Counsellor and International
Judge based in Newport, RI.
T E (Tommy) Sopwith's father Sir Thomas (T.O.M) Sopwith challenged vigorously
for the America's Cup in the mid thirties with the J boats Endeavour and
Endeavour II. Sir Thomas was primarily an aircraft designer and on his
hundredth birthday, a flypast over his house took place with a Sopwith Camel
from World War I, a Hurricane from World War II and a Harrier Jump Jet, all
products from the great Sopwith. T. E. 'Tommy' Sopwith has been a keen
powerboat driver, winning the Cowes to Torquay race in 1961, 1968 and in 1970.
Ted Turner, Contender in 1974 America's Cup defence with 'Mariner', skipper
and successful defender of the America's Cup with 'Courageous' for the United
States against 'Australia' in 1977. As a television broadcasting executive,
he founded the television station, WTBS in 1976 and built it into the Turner
Broadcasting System, including the Cable News Network (CNN), and in 1988 a
movie channel, then in 1992 the Cartoon Network. He owns the Atlanta Braves
baseball team and Atlanta Hawks basketball team.… He married Jane Fonda in
1991.
Dennis Conner - If you don't know, you'll just have to admit it and ask. The
legend is still out there.… One of the all-time greats.
Sir Peter Blake With more than a half-million racing and cruising miles,
Peter Blake, is a seasoned ocean sailor and America's Cup team leader. With
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and with a crew that included Lymington yacht
designer David Alan-Williams they gained the round-the-world record aboard
ENZA in 1994 in 74 days. Blake's numerous accolades include two Sportsman of
the Year awards and four Yachtsman of the Year awards. He was named a Member
of the British Empire (MBE) in 1983 for services to yachting, received a
knighthood from the Queen and is honoured with the title of Order of the
British Empire (OBE), for services to yachting.
Ted Hood An avid sailor, Ted began repairing and then improving sails of
local Marblehead, MA sailors. He found that commercially available cloth
failed to hold its intended shape and stability and set about, with his
father Stedman Hood 'the Professor', to find an answer. Together they
reasoned that polyester monofilaments twisted into yarns could be woven
tighter than cotton. The introduction by Hood of Dacron, Kevlar, Mylar and
Spectra sails have all been important issues.