Sports Bizzare launches new America’s Cup deep-dive series

The Sports Bizarre podcast is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Australia’s win in the 1983 America’s Cup with a series devoted to the history and rare facts of one of Australia’s greatest sporting moments. 

As the story goes, the Australia II crossed the finish line on Monday, 26 September 1983 – ending the longest winning streak in the history of sport, 132 years.

The moment instantly became one of Australia’s greatest sporting moments, uniting a nation that was coming off a devastating drought, tough economic times, and failure at the recent Olympic Games.

Following Australia’s unexpected triumph, newly elected Prime Minister Bob Hawke famously said, “Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum.”

“Growing up, this victory loomed large over the country. It created the Boxing Kangaroo, made Men at Work’s ‘Down Under’ an anthem, and got everyone to call for a public holiday whenever Australia wins something. All great things,” said co-host Mick Molloy.

The series will examine the history of the America’s Cup and the 1983 race and includes:

• Queen Victoria’s role in starting the race in 1851
• James Gordon Bennett Jr, the newspaper tycoon who raced his horse and carriage naked around New York, while overseeing the race as Commodore of the New York Yacht Club
• J. P. Morgan, the American financier who used his wealth and power to ensure the United States kept the cup
• Sir Thomas Lipton, founder of Lipton’s Tea and the man who would challenge five times for the cup, only to lose every attempt
• The arrival of the Australians as challengers in 1962, with the backing of Sir Frank Packer
• Alan Bond, picking up the mantle and launching four challenges that led to the 1983 triumph

“With characters like JP Morgan, Sir Frank Packer, Sir Thomas Lipton, Alan Bond, Bob Hawke, Dennis Connor, Ben Lexcen and John Bertrand, this is a wild ride,” said co-host Titus O’Reily.

“We want to tell the story of not only why this meant so much to the country in 1983, but why it is one of the greatest achievements in the history of world sport.”

The series begins on Monday, 4 September, and runs throughout the month, culminating in a special episode on the 40th anniversary, Tuesday, 26 September, with an hour-long interview with the winning skipper John Bertrand.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.