It is called
“The Regatta of the Century”
the documentary that Netflix has decided to dedicate to one of the most important sporting feats of the 20th century. The 1983 America’s Cup, a spectacular edition that .
Would change a 132-year tradition
. That of the Americans, undefeated until 1983, and defeated for the first time in Newport waters by the crew of Australia II.
America’s Cup 1983 – A Netflix documentary chronicles the feat of Australia II
Australian entrepreneur Alan Bond, who as early as 1974 decided to finance the kangaroo venture, could count on an extraordinary team. The skipper John Bertrand with his entire crew, selected by subjecting candidates to a psychological test of more than 14 pages, but above all the designer Ben Lexcen. His idea, born from watching the flight of seagulls, to add appendages to the keel, similar to wings, led to a clash between the NYYC and the Australians, who even put the 1983 edition of the Cup in jeopardy.. Eventually, however, Ben Lexcen‘s move, hidden until the last moment by having the boat guarded day and night, led Australia II to be the fastest boat on the water.
The Australia II team came to the challenge against skipper Dennis Conner ‘s Liberty by beating in the Louis Vuitton Cup first Azzurra, which was bringing Italy to the America’s Cup for the first time, and then Victory ’83, the British boat. The final challenge immediately began well for the Americans, who took a 2-0 lead. Then a win by the Australians rekindled hopes, but at 3-1 it seemed all done, the Cup was destined to remain on American soil one more time. An incredible comeback, propelled by an entire country glued to radios and televisions, and even by its prime minister Bob Hawke, however, brought the result to 3-all. It was the first time a sixth and seventh race was held to award the Cup, but something even more incredible happened. The last race was held amidst controversy because the American crew, apparently against regulations, decided to lighten Liberty by as much as 1,000 kilograms, immediately proving to be very fast on the water. An incredible comeback, however, led Australia II to make up the roughly 50-second deficit and win the first historic non-American America’s Cup, winning 4-3.
The
documentary
, directed by brothers Chapman Way and Maclain Way, compellingly recounts the genesis of a historic feat that forever changed the history of sailing’s most important trophy, the America’s Cup. Netflix included the docu-film within the collection “Untold stories,” which collects epic stories and feats from the world of world sports.
