1983 America's Cup - Aftermath

Aftermath

The final race was televised in Australia in the early hours just before dawn, and the victory was celebrated in public venues across Australia. Prime Minister Bob Hawke was interviewed at the dawn celebration in Claremont, Western Australia, and said, "Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum".

The loss of the 1983 America’s Cup was considered a time of shame in U.S. sailing, as the U.S. had been able to defend the Cup after 132 years. Dennis Conner took the loss hard. Asked about how he felt initially after losing the Cup Conner said: “It was awful. I just did not want to get out of bed in the morning. I am usually full of life and energy. . I just wanted to hide”.

The America's Cup was transferred from the New York Yacht Club to the Royal Perth Yacht Club located in Perth, Western Australia, which subsequently hosted its first, but unsuccessful, defense in the 1987 America's Cup. After losing the Cup the U.S. had been determined to bring it back. Conner went to work on the next US America’s Cup Campaign. With the help of designers Britton Chance, Jr., Bruce Nelson and David Pedrick, the boat Stars and Stripes 87 was created with a radical hull shape the proved to be very fast, leading to Conner winning the 1987 and returning the Cup to the U.S.

In retrospect, Conner said that losing the Cup in 1983 had been good for the sport of sailing and the Cup itself: “Me losing after 132 years was the best thing that ever happened to the America’s Cup and the best thing that ever happened to Dennis Conner…Before the win by the Australians, the America’s Cup was only big in the minds of the yachties, but the rest of the world didn't know or care about it at all. But when we lost it… it was a little bit like losing the Panama Canal - suddenly everyone appreciated it. If I hadn't lost it, there never would have been the national effort . . . without that there never would have been the ticker-tape parade up Fifth Avenue in New York, lunch with the President at the White House and all the doors of opportunity that it opened...”.