"Your Majesty, there is no second."
Were the words spoken aboard the Royal Yacht in reply to Queen Victoria.
America was a schooner which had sailed across the Atlantic for England's World Fair in 1851.
The Hundred Guinea Cup was first held on 20th August that year by the Royal Yacht Squadron of Great Britain.
The winner of the proposed race would be the first sailing boat to circumnavigate the Isle of Wight, just off the South Coast of England.
The radical looking schooner, America, ghosted out of the afternoon mist and swiftly sailed past the Royal Yacht comfortably ahead of the other entrants.
It had won the inaugural 100 Guinea Cup on behalf of the New York Yacht Club.
And so commenced an ongoing competition for the oldest trophy in international sport.
The America's Cup.
171 years later and on this very day.
It has been announced that the very first Women's America's Cup will take place alongside the Men's America's Cup.
Both races will be hosted in Barcelona in the autumn of 2024.
Despite our proud naval heritage, neither England nor Great Britain has ever won the America's Cup.
Encouragingly, we boast the two most decorated Olympic sailors in history, Sir Ben Ainslie and Hannah Mills OBE.
They will be leading the charge over the next couple of years.
On sailing boats which are so technically advanced.
They sail significantly faster than the prevailing wind.
If you're not yet into sailing.
You will be soon.
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All the best from the South West.