Commemorative print of the AUSTRALIA II Cup defence
Date1987
Object number00015119
NamePrint
MediumInk on paper, wood
DimensionsOverall: 323 × 861 × 10 mm, 2250 g
ClassificationsCommemorative artefacts
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Yvonne Lexcen
DescriptionA commemorative print of the AUSTRALIA II America's Cup defence featuring portraits of captains and a central image of the cup itself.
Number 5 of 2000.HistoryThis commemorative print is number five of a limited edition of 2000 produced by the America's Cup Defence 1987. It contains a number of images.
On the right side are portraits of John Bertrand, Ben Lexcen and Alan Bond, together with a photograph of AUSTRALIA II passing LIBERTY on the fifth leg of the final Cup race in 1983, a drawing of the Australian
and the boxing kangaroo flags and a lines plan of AUSTRALIA II.
Those images are mirrored on the right handside by portraits of Sir Thomas Lipton, Tommy Sopwith and Mike
Vanderbilt, together with a print of AMERICA winning the 100 Guinea Cup in 1851, a drawing of the United States flag and a lines plan of AMERICA.
The two sets of images are divided in the middle of the print by a photograph of the Cup, a seal and a quote from
Ben Lexcen saying:
"The America's Cup is called a sporting event. Believe me, when you're personally involved, it feels more like being in the frontline of a global war. "SignificanceThis print was given to yacht designer and sailor Ben Lexcen sometime between November 1983 and 1987.
