America’s Cup Win

Probably the whole country now knows that Team New Zealand won the America’s Cup. There has been widespread jubilation at this win. There will be a victory parade in Auckland when the team returns next week.

The America’s Cup is the oldest sporting trophy. The race dates back to 1851 when the American yacht won in a race around the Isle of Wight in England. From then until 1983 – for 132 years – American yachts won the Cup; however, in 1983 it was won by the Royal Perth Yacht Club sailing Australia II. The winner then has the right to choose where the next race will be held. They chose Freemantle which is the port for Perth in Western Australia.

In 1995 New Zealand won in San Diego sailing Black Magic. The winners choose where the next race will be held. They chose Auckland. The Viaduct Basin was developed to serve as the centre for the yachts. Five years later, New Zealand won again, but in 2003, lost the Cup to the Swiss boat Alinghi.

So this is New Zealand’s third win. Now the team will choose where and when to hold the next race. Auckland is the probable choice although the Viaduct Basin has been changed since then. Although it is very expensive for a country to host the America’s Cup, last time many private luxury yachts anchored in Auckland harbour to enjoy the racing. Also, many overseas fans stayed in Auckland during the races.

Bermuda, where this 2017 America’s Cup was held, spent around US$77m to provide the facilities but expects that visitors will bring in US$250m.

Vocabulary

• jubilation (n) – extreme joy and excitement; jubilant (adj)
• victory (n) – a win
• trophy (n) – a silver cup or some other object which the winners keep until another team wins
• race, racing, races (n) – the race for the America’s Cup involves many races, racing is the activity, so these 3 words really mean the same here.
• anchored (v) – staying in one place; anchor (n) a metal object on the bottom of the sea which keeps a boat in one place