Peachy Ahoy is Patriotic Peachy: There Is No Second
The reply came in response to Queen Victoria’s question from the Royal Yacht about which boat was following in second place as a schooner named ‘America’ suddenly broke through the mist to sail swiftly past her majesty and onlookers alike.
The US team, led by new national hero Commodore John Cox Stevens, donated the trophy to their Yacht Club and after it had been donated they created a Deed of Gift for the trophy to become “a perpetual challenge cup for friendly competition among nations”. With that, the America’s Cup, as it is known, was born, named after the inaugural winning boat as opposed to the nation the boat represented.
That original statement, which has gone on to become the mind-set of the majority of sports across the globe, still embodies the oldest-running competition in international sport, leading the America’s Cup to be described as arguably the most difficult prize to win in sport.
Since 1851 sailors, businessmen, entrepreneurs, and a huge host of people involved in the marine industry have invested finances, dedication, hopes and dreams into winning the “Auld Mug”.
However, in the 166 years since that first race off the south coast of England, only four nations have won this most prized trophy; the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland.
Fast forward to 2017 and the six teams competing in the 35thAmerica’s Cup on the breath-taking waters of Bermuda’s ‘Great Sound’. The message that was first delivered to Queen Victoria in 1851 remains true today: ‘There is no second’.
