America's Cup, the Oldest International Trophy in Sports

The 37^th edition of the America’s Cup international sailing yacht competition will take place in Barcelona, Spain in 2024. But don’t let the 37 editions fool you into believing this is a new competition or a new trophy for that matter. In fact, the America’s Cup, the most prestigious trophy in the world of sailing, is also the oldest international sporting trophy in the world.

It was first awarded in 1851, which is 45 years before the first modern Olympics game, and is pre-dating soccer’s World Cup (1930), horse racing’s Kentucky Derby Trophy (1925), tennis’s Davis Cup (1900), and even hockey’s Stanley Cup (1893). You can read more about the oldest and most famous sporting trophies here. The reason behind having only 37 editions in the event’s 174-year history is that races are held several years apart. There is no fixed schedule, but generally races are held every three to four years. In this article we dive into everything you need to know about the sailing competition and its legendary trophy ahead of the next event, as well as how you can order your own trophy for your yacht club’s competitions to raise the stakes in this summer’s races.

The America’s Cup competition - A Short Introduction

The America’s Cup is not only the oldest and best-known international sailing yacht competition, but also the oldest international competition that continues to this day in any sport. The history of the America’s Cup, considered by many the pinnacle of yacht racing, the prestige associated with participating in the competition attracts the world’s most skilled sailors, yacht designers, and sailing aficionados.

It consists of a series of regattas and a racing match. Since the 1920s, the America’s Cup match race has been held between two sailing yachts belonging to two different international yacht clubs: one representing the yacht club that won the previous edition and currently holds the international sporting trophy - called the defender - and the other representing the yacht club that is presenting a challenge for the Cup - known as the challenger. Both the defending vessel and the challenging vessel are determined in separate series of elimination trials.

Each competing yacht must be designed and built solely in the country that it represents. If the challenging yacht club wins the match race, it gains stewardship of the Cup. The race was first organized in August, 1851, by the British Royal Yacht Squadron, as a single race of approximately 53 miles around the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, open to yachts of all nations. The prize was a cup made of silver and valued at one hundred pounds sterling.

The story behind the America’s Cup name

The trophy could mislead you into believing it’s named after the United States of America, but that is not quite right. The cup was originally offered by the British Royal Yacht Squadron in August, 1851, under the name ‘R.Y.S. £100 Cup’ or The Hundred Guinea Cup’, standing for the cup’s worth of a hundred pounds sterling or a hundred guinea, respectively (old monetary unit worth one pound sterling and one shilling, the equivalent today to £1.05), respectively.

So why is it called the America’s Cup? In 1851, the New York Yacht Club accepted the invitation from the Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron to participate in the race around the Isle of Wight against the British yachts. The New York Yacht Club’s 100-foot (30-meter) schooner yacht called America won the race, finishing 8 minutes ahead of the closest competitor. In fact, it is said that when Queen Victoria, who was watching the race, asked who was second, the famous answer had been “Ah, Your Majesty, there is no second”.

The America schooner’s victory gave the yachting race its name, and the famous phrase, a phrase that many sailors still live by today, beautifully encapsulates America’s Cup spirit as ‘‘the race with no second place’. In 1857, the winners of the cup donated it to the New York Yacht Club for a perpetual international yachting competition.

174 years of history leading to the 37^th edition in 2024

The New York Yacht Club held the trophy for the next 132 years, which is the longest winning streak in any sport ever recorded. It wasn’t until 1870, 19 years after the first victory, that the America’s Cup was first challenged. The New York Yacht Club defended the cup in 1870 against the schooner Cambria representing England, and continued to successfully defend it twenty four times in a row since the first defense in 1870, before losing it in 1983 to the Australian yacht Australia II representing the Royal Perth Yacht Club.

Since then, the America’s Cup has only been won by teams from Switzerland, New Zealand, and the United States. The current defender is Emirates Team New Zealand, representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, winner of the 35^th edition and successful defender of the America’s Cup in the 36^th edition of the race in 2021.

The holders of the America’s Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand, will defend the trophy in the 37^th edition of the America’s Cup which will take place in October 2024 in Barcelona. During 2023 and early 2024, three preliminary regattas will be held in Vilanova i La Geltrú, Jeddah, and Barcelona.

The Trophy

The prestige of the competition is also reflected in its trophy. The America’s Cup is a classic piece of Victorian design made of ornate sterling silver. Crafted in 1848 by London-based silversmith Gerrard & Co., the Royal Jeweller in England since 1735, it was originally designed as a piece of silverware, taking the form of a bottomless ewer or claret jug adorned with a scrolling handle.

Standing 1.1m high and weighing over 14kg, the trophy was bought and donated for the Royal Yacht Squadron’s 1851 regatta by Henry William Paget, the 1^st Marquess of Anglesey. The trophy is inscribed with the names of the yachts that competed for it. To accommodate more engraving, the Cup had been modified twice - in 1958, and then in 1992 - by adding matching pedestals.

Custom trophies and private commissions for your yacht club race

There’s no denying that lifting the iconic America’s Cup trophy after winning the eponymous yachting race must be exhilarating. Nevertheless, one doesn’t have to be in the America’s Cup race to deserve a trophy after a hard-earned sailing race win. Victories big and small deserve to be celebrated, and here at Oldani Brothers we offer bespoke trophy-making services that help you capture the spirit of victory for your yacht club’s sailing competitions.

Oldani Brothers is a family owned silver and pewtersmith that prides itself with timeless pieces and modern heirlooms. All of our products are proudly made in the USA. Our master craftsmen trace their lineage to the famed Preisner Pewter Company and have been creating exquisite sterling silver and pewter trophies for over 70 years.

Choose from our select designs of the most talented silversmiths of the past century or work with our designers to create the perfect custom award for your sailing competition. To find out more about our bespoke trophy-making services or to discuss a private commission for your sailing event, email us at sales@oldanibrothers.com or call at (203) 630-6565.

This post was written by Peter Oldani. Find out more about the author.