1958 America's Cup
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 besides World War II, 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 in a four-race sweep.
Defender Series
Four yachts competed in a summer long regatta to determine which the NYYC would name as defender, Columbia, a new Olin Stephens boat, Weatherly, Easterner, and the Olin Stephens designed Vim 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.The Races
Date | Course | Winner | Loser | Winning Time | Delta | Score | Winner's Velocity on Course |
September 20, 1958 | , windward leeward | Columbia | Sceptre | 5:13:56 | 7:45 | 1-0 | 4.59 |
September 24, 1958 | , triangular | Columbia | Sceptre | 3:17:42 | 11:42 | 2-0 | 7.28 |
September 25, 1958 | 24 nmi, windward leeward | Columbia | Sceptre | 3:09:07 | 8:20 | 3-0 | 7.61 |
September 26, 1958 | 24 nmi, triangular | Columbia | Sceptre | 3:04:22 | 7:05 | 4-0 | 7.81 |