The birth of the Louis Vuitton Trophy
In February 2009, ten teams competed in a 15-day event on Auckland's Waitemata Harbor in match races duels that were won by Emirates Team New Zealand. Based on the huge popularity of that event, which was praised for its format and originality, Louis Vuitton has now created the Louis Vuitton Trophy regattas.
Louis Vuitton has long been associated with first-rate, professional yachting. The French luggage and handbag maker made its debut in racing for the America’s Cup when it supported the 1983 Challenger Selection Series off Newport, R.I.
Australia II, led by syndicate head Alan Bond and skipper John Bertrand, became the first yacht engraved on the trophy and then went on to score an historic triumph over Dennis Conner’s Liberty, the first challenger ever to defeat the defending New York Yacht Club.
Four years later it was Conner who won the Louis Vuitton Cup off Fremantle, Western Australia, this time for the San Diego Yacht Club, before going on to defeat the Australian defender and return the America’s Cup to the U.S.
The success of the winners of the first two Louis Vuitton Cups prompted the phrase, “To win the America’s Cup, first win the Louis Vuitton Cup.”
The Louis Vuitton Cup has been held seven times, and four times the challenger has gone on to win the America’s Cup. But following the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup, won by Emirates Team New Zealand, a period of uncertainty ensued with no future Louis Vuitton Cup scheduled. That led Louis Vuitton to create the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series last February.
