"... making it perpetually a challenge cup for friendly competition between foreign countries." - the original Deed of Gift, 1857.
Friendly is not a word you would use comfortably to describe the duels for the America's Cup.
Even the first official challenge, on New York Harbour in 1870, was fraught with on-and-off-the-water friction.
The silver ewer given to America when she won the Hundred Guineas Cup in 1851 was almost melted down so all her owners could have commemorative medals.
Instead, the America's Cup was shown off in the owner's homes. When some of them died, it was decided to gift the trophy to the New York Yacht Club. With it went a document, to be known as the Deed of Gift, laying down the law to which future challenge races should be run.
The Civil War came and everyone forgot about the cup until an aspiring British MP, James Ashbury, issued a challenge. Ashbury, who wanted to improve his social standing, asked the Americans to come to England to race his boat, Cambria, for a sterling 250 cup. It was rejected.
After a tedious debate between New York and Ashbury, the Englishman reluctantly agreed to cross the Atlantic and sail against the NYYC's entire fleet of schooners.
Cambria had given Ashbury great hope after outsailing the American schooner Sappho around the course used in the historic first cup race in 1851.
On her transatlantic crossing, she raced against and beat American yacht Dauntless.
A curious crowd of 50,000 went out to watch the 17-strong US fleet race against Cambria on August 8. But it was all disaster for the British boat.
She was disadvantaged before she turned up for the start. The American yachts were built for the conditions inside New York Harbour, with their shallow drafts and centreboards.
She chose the wrong end of the start-line, collided with the Tarolinta, and lost her fore topstay.
One of the smallest yachts, Magic, was quick off the line and comfortably won the 35-mile race by 37m. Cambria finished 10th on corrected time.
America returned to defend her crown after being salvaged from the ocean floor in Florida and came home fourth, sailed by the US Navy Academy.
Ashbury would return again, but his next attempt would almost turn the yachting world off the America's Cup.
Back in 1870: Fine words in Deed of Gift rarely upheld
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