Defender club: New York Yacht Club Challenger club: Royal Yacht Squadron Dates: 20–26 September 1958 | Yacht: Columbia Yacht: Sceptre | |
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Location: Newport, Rhode Island, United States | ||
The 1958 America's Cup marked the first Cup match sailed in 12-metre class yachts. Twenty years had passed since the last Cup match, held between immense Universal Rule J-class yachts in 1937, and the New York Yacht Club sought a more affordable alternative to restart interest in the Cup. In 1956 Henry Sears led an effort advancing class yachts. The Royal Yacht Squadron of Great Britain agreed to challenge with a new 12-metre, Sceptre. The New York Yacht Club defended with theirs, Columbia, winning the Cup four races to none.
Defender Series
Four yachts competed in a summer long regatta to determine which the NYYC would name as defender, Columbia (US-16), a new Olin Stephens boat, Weatherly (US-17), Easterner (US-18), and the Olin Stephens designed Vim (US-15) from 1939. Columbia was chosen after a very close set of races resulted in only beating the 19-year-old Vim by 12 seconds in the final competition.