1983 Louis Vuitton Cup
| 1st Louis Vuitton Cup | |
|---|---|
| Date | 1983 |
| Winner |
 Australia II
|
| Location | Newport, Rhode Island, United States |
The 1983 Louis Vuitton Cup was held in Newport, Rhode Island, United States in 1983. The winner, Australia II, went on to challenge for the 1983 America's Cup.
Owned by Alan Bond and helmed by John Bertrand, Australia II featured an innovative winged keel design developed by Ben Lexcen 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 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 1983 America's Cup.
Peter de Savary funded the Royal Burnham Yacht Club's Victory Syndicate. The team used three skippers over the Cup: Phil Crebbin, Lawrie Smith and Rodney Pattisson. Two boats were constructed; Victory of Burnham (K 21), Victory '83 (K 22), although K 22 was ultimately used in the Cup.
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. Skippered by John Savage.
Managed by Luca Cordero di Montezemolo and funded by Aga Khan IV and Gianni Agnelli, Azzura 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 on the helm, the original Azzurra team won 24 of 49 races and developed a large and loyal following in Italy.
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