Reagan Welcomes America’s Cup Up From Down Under
The America’s Cup officially came home today with President Reagan welcoming super sailor Dennis Conner and his Stars & Stripes crew back from their victory in Australia.
“Today the cup that went Down Under has come back up,” Reagan told the sailors at a White House celebration of their Feb. 4 rewinning of the prized sailing trophy.
Reagan, flanked by Vice President George Bush, joined skipper Conner in hoisting aloft the massive, 136-year-old silver cup named for the U.S. yacht that first won it and that Conner had lost to an Australian crew in 1983.
The President, sporting a bushman’s hat won in a bet with Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, called Stars & Stripes’ 4-0 win a victory for American technology and competitiveness.
Reagan also praised the crew members, who clocked 1,800 hours of sailing on their quest to restore the cup to this nation.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
