From my VHS Archives The story of the 1983 America's Cup challenge when Australia finally wrests the America's Cup from the New York Yacht Club after 132 years.
When Australia II won the Cup that year, everything Australian became fashionable in America. Australian bands like Men at Work, INXS, Air Supply and AC/DC became very popular, Australian movies like Breaker Morant and Mad Max were all the rage, Many Americans loved The Paul Hogan Show, and for a while, Australia became the most popular overseas tourist destination for American travelers. Because of the 1983 America's Cup, America discovered Australia!
Wow , I don’t know how I have never seen this before. I was listening to an interview today with John Wood and he mentioned this so I looked it up , never knew it existed , no time like the present to finally watch it , thanks for the upload.
I loved watching this mini series when I was a kid. Just loved the whole Australia II journey, it was the best!!! I really wish this could be remastered and rereleased on a digital format like DVD or BluRay. Thanks so much for posting. 40 years this year since the win.
The country went nuts when we won the cup, I can’t believe we can’t get a remastered DVD copy of this amazing piece of Australian history….let’s hope we get one by the 40th anniversary.
Was never prouder of being an Aussie than the moment Australia II crossed the line. Everyone involved is an immortal legend, and The Challenge is the ultimate dramatization of those events, featuring a who's who of Australian acting talent at the time.
I will join in and extend my kudos for uploading this. I loved this show and have been trying to find it for years. I even posted on Facebook in desperation asking if anyone had a copy of it. Thank you!! Still one of the greatest sporting triumphs in Australia’s history - almost as good as Penrith’s Grand Final wins in 1991 & 2003
I can remember when the entire country went mad over this and Hawke unofficially declared the next day a public holiday by saying any boss who sacks a worker for not turning up was a bum.
Thank you for this. Have loved this miniseries since my grandfather first showed it to me in the 90s. There's a copy of it in a glass cabinet at the WA Maritime Museum where Australia II is on display. Great memories watching it again.
About time this fantastic mini series was released on DVD. It is one of the best ones of the 80’s and so many others have. I have the original VHS boxed set, don’t even have a player anymore.
This is so darn rare....lost a copy of this a few years back and can finally watch it again. What a fantastic mini-series. So good because the events are exactly as I remember them and read in history books since. Race 7 was no cliche, it really was the race of the century.
Thanks for the upload - in regards to the comments below about DVD or Bluray copies. Am starting a campaign by sending emails to NFSA. They have the originals. Don't think there is much point releasing on Bluray because of low resolution except can have entire mini series on one disc. So DVD would be more than enough for the majority of people. Details for Nation Film And Screen Archive Requested Titles Title - THE CHALLENGE ID - 52133 Access Team NFSA Lets show them there is still interest in this moment from history and people want it for the memories.
Merry Christmas mate, you are the man!! I have been looking for this for years on line. I had the privelege of meeting John Bertrand a few days ago at the SailGP, had a few drinks and told me some amazing stories from that regatta, including the fact that he has never spoken to Dennis Connor since that last day!
Many, many thanks for uploading this. I've been looking to buy a copy for decades now & couldn't source it anywhere. Such great memories of the greatest day in Australian sporting history & the build up to it.
Loved watching this mini-series again. Thank you very much. I still believe this is Australia's most important sporting achievement. I hope there will be an Australian boat in the next A.C. regatta
cheers bud. honestly can't remember what sparked the search for this 4 hours ago, but bloody glad to find it. thought i was gunna have to go thru a shitload of boxes of old vhs to find my copy (probably not even labeled ;) ) i remember being a little late for work after watching the win live on tv and no one can forget old bob the bottler and his sickie remark altho i do seem to remember more of the actual down under song (possibly replaced audio to combat copyright dramas with kookaburras? or maybe a faulty 35yo memory) ( and yeah, noticed a lot of missing scenes(been there done that - left it on pause after the add break :D ) but who cares they are only small and over 4 hrs donut have any real effect (except for what happened to peter phelps etc)
its interesting that despite the keel secrecy, the keel only had a minor influence on the boat. The keel enabled the aussies to use more sail, and the boat itself was very well designed as for the first time ever, $ was put into a concerted effort to win.
Great to see it uploaded, thankyou! Although there were quite a few scenes missing. I have the original full series in the original box on Beta video, but alas no Beta player! Tried a video transfer mob but they refused to do it.Tapes never been played. Bugger!
Imagine the reception AFTER Australia II won the Americas Cup! I’m sure that’s one movie Hollywood won’t be making… ps does anyone know if they ever made one?
Got up to watch the final race living In Coffs Harbour. Went to work but finally,y gave up at lunchtime. Boss said p off you cant do much to day. Had a great lunch with a fellow crewman and his wife and my wife then down to the Coffs Harbour Yacht Club. It was swinging. Don't know when I got home that day. When Australia II came back, she was taken round Aussie and duly arrived in Coffs. Yep, I went down, it was a miserable day, raining and grey, however, I went up the steps to look at her and touched her. Oh boy, my wee 22 footer was no Americas cup girl, but gave me great pleasure. Great memories. Bob
Well, there can be no question about it, wings on the keel made a difference to how high to windwards you could climb. It definitely was a peculiarity of design, and that was against the rules.
Thanks for sharing but is there any chance of getting the whole of the series/movie? The part where Lexon has a heart attack is missing along with a few other parts.
I wouldn’t say it’s a question of “awkward”. Comparing the video to the actual press conferences, I’d say the difference is that Conner could *fake* being relaxed and mellow even while upset or scheming. Here Nicholas Hammond plays him as *openly* wound-up and annoyed at all times, and never making an attempt to mask that attitude.
awfully fishy that after what 28 successful defenses of the America's cup, Conner looses to the winged keel . Mind you , we beat the Australians not once but TWICE, and it just so happens we loose when they have a winged keel. Just because you find a loophole in the regulations doesnt mean its cheating, but also doesnt mean its not an unfair advantage. why would the Australians go to the trouble of this keel if they thought it afforded no advantage? Lastly, Conner beat the Australians again in 1987 as the "keel wars" heated up, showing everyone plain as day the effect a well designed keel had on the boat's ability to change direction/sail higher upwind.
