ByBill Springer,
Senior Contributor.
America’s Cup nostalgia may be running high in the wake of Ted Turner’s death recently. And, now that an Australian team has just announced they will be competing in the 38th America’s Cup in Naples, Italy next year, nostaglia for the glorious drama of 1983 America’s Cup—when Australia II broke the New York Yacht Club’s 132-year America’s Cup winning streak—continues.
However, there is nothing old fashioned about today’s announcement. The Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club’s Team Australia will challenge for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup. In fact, the team is stacked with some of the most decorated racers in the world (who also happen to be Australian) including : Tom Slingsby, Olympic gold medalist, multiple SailGP champion, and two-time World Sailor of the Year, will join the team as Head of Sailing. Three-time America’s Cup winner Glenn Ashby joins the team as Head of Performance & Design. And Grant Simmer, famously a member of the legendary Australia II campaign in 1983 is Team Australia’s Chief Executive Officer.
"For me, this campaign is both deeply personal and incredibly exciting,” Simmer said. “I first became involved in the America’s Cup in the early 1980s and was fortunate to be part of the legendary Australia II team that changed the course of the Cup forever. Since then, I’ve been involved in every America’s Cup edition, including Australia’s successful hosting of the event in Fremantle, still regarded as one of the greatest Cups in history.
