Intrepid Wins the America's Cup

For the 20th time since the America won a silver cup by defeating England's best yachts in 1851, U.S. sailors successfully defended the America's Cup. The Cup races were held off Newport, Rhode Island, beginning on September 12, 1967.

The Intrepid won the right to represent the United States after outsailing American Eagle, Columbia, and Constellation in a series of elimination races. Intrepid was designed by Olin Stephens, rhe designer of three previous defenders, including the Columbia (1958) and the Constellation (1963). It was skippered by Emil "Bus" Mosbacher, Jr., who had steered Weatherby to a successful 4-to-1 defense over the Australian yacht Gretel in 1962.

The challenger in 1967 was Dame Pattie, a new Australian yacht that had qualified for the series by beating Gretel earlier in the year. Named for the wife of former Prime Minister Robert C. Menzies, Dame Pattie was designed by Warwick Hood and skippered by Jock Sturrock, Gretel's helmsman in 1962.

Intrepid defeated Dame Pattie with four decisive races in a row. The smallest margin of victory was 3 minutes 35 seconds, equal to about half a mile.

SOURCE
World Book Yearbook 1968 Chicago: Field Enterprises Corporation, 1968

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This page was last updated on 06/18/2017.