The One Ton Cup 1971

Film (Full Length) – 1972

Anyone

In 1969 Chris Bouzaid and his yacht Rainbow ll won the One Ton Cup (dubbed the "everyman's America's Cup"), and put New Zealand on the international yachting map. In February 1971 the five-race regatta began in the Hauraki Gulf. Bouzaid narrates this account of skippering his yacht Wai Aniwa, assessing the form of 17 rivals for the cup, including entries from Australia, Germany, Italy and Sweden. Australian yacht Stormy Petrel takes the first win while capricious winds and a disqualification make the second race controversial. The fourth race is conclusive, leaving the final race "a mere formality".

We thought the organisation was terrific, we thought the navy was terrific, we thought the spectators were terrific — they kept out of the road.
– Skipper Syd Fischer gets a laugh at the 1971 One Ton Cup award presentation