Untold: "The Race of the Century" documentary on Netflix

[Dark'N'Stormy]

I didn't see a related thread posted anywhere, so figured I'd start a new one.

Watched the "Untold: Race of the Century" documentary on Netflix last night covering the 1983 America's Cup, and I have to say I rather enjoyed it. I'm familiar with the story and have seen similar documentaries, but the new interviews with John Bertrand, Dennis Connor, and more really gave it a new level of depth. It follows the narrator-less, interviewee only voice format that "The Last Dance," "Senna," and other recent sports documentaries take. Some critique is that it's clearly geared towards the sailing-uninitiated, and doesn't focus much on actual strategies and techniques. (ex: they focus a lot on the innovative winged keel, but don't even try to explain how it works.) Also, they kind of overplay the underdog aspect of the Australian team, which had won the last few challenger series and was already on their way to becoming a world class entity. Still, I'd say it's worth a watch!

Curious to hear everyone's thoughts? Discuss!

 

[twomasts]

I watched it last night too, really good documentary. Didn't remember that Liberty had 1000lbs of ballast removed the night before the final decider, light airs race. Forgot how much the NYYC made up the rules as they went along.

 

[Stingray~]

A brief clip

 

[PeterHuston]

Probably the best overview by an American of the loss in '83 is in this Sports Illustrated article by Blackaller.

His untimely death was a huge blow to sailing in America.

WHY WE LOST THE AMERICA'S CUP

I didn't get involved in last year's defense of the America's Cup out of some long-standing desire to be a Cup skipper or out of patriotism or anything like

vault.si.com

 

[Onthelock!]

Probably the best overview by an American of the loss in '83 is in this Sports Illustrated article by Blackaller.

His untimely death was a huge blow to sailing in America.

WHY WE LOST THE AMERICA'S CUP

I didn't get involved in last year's defense of the America's Cup out of some long-standing desire to be a Cup skipper or out of patriotism or anything like

vault.si.com

Yeah whatever, Mr Washedup. Enjoy it for what it is, Or go watch wizard of
oz

 

[Steam Flyer]

I watched it last night too, really good documentary. Didn't remember that Liberty had 1000lbs of ballast removed the night before the final decider, light airs race. Forgot how much the NYYC made up the rules as they went along.

Dennis had two rating certificates from the 12-Meter Class, if this is fuckery it's not from NYYC.

 

[shanghaisailor]

I watched it last night too, really good documentary. Didn't remember that Liberty had 1000lbs of ballast removed the night before the final decider, light airs race. Forgot how much the NYYC made up the rules as they went along.

I heard Liberty actually had 3 rating certificates @Steam Flyer. They would check the weather forecast and could change the internal ballast/sail area relationship accordingly and still rate as a 12m.

Clever eh? Actually back then was within the rules

If I remember correctly, after that event the IYRU brought in the 'one regatta, one certificate rule' but I could be wrong.

Cheers

SS

 

[Swanno]

Born in 1984 and growing up in Perth, I don't remember any of the Americas Cup when it was in Fremantle but grew up idolizing a lot of the people involved....until i met them.

I begged my way into helping up with Australia 2 when she came back to Fremantle after sitting in the museum in Sydney. I even had a petition going around in year 6 to bring the boat back to WA (that was 1996).

When she came back to WA, I was there when she got unloaded from the truck and had the rig stepped. I was there helping out in the B shed where all of the museum pieces were removed for the Jubilee regatta and was on the support boats ferrying anyone man and their dog (crane driver, truck driver, catering company representatives) over for a ride on the boat.

I was lucky enough to get a call up the last time the boat sailed in Fremantle and get to sail it into the fishing boat harbor, and it seemed that only happened after my old man sent a strongly worded letter to the bloke running the show, essentially about not being a dick to a keen as hell 16/17 year old.

I personally found most of the crew to be wankers and be so pumped up by their own ego. The only bloke that would give me the time of day was the bowman (Damien I think his name was)

Certainly one of those instances where it wasn't great to meet your idols.

Anyhoo....21 years later, i have clearly gotten over it...

I look forward to watching the doco but it will be tainted after meeting a number of the guys.

For what it is worth, during 1995, I wrote back and forth to John Bertrand and got a lovely letter back from him and a book from his wife.

 

[Dark'N'Stormy]

I watched it last night too, really good documentary. Didn't remember that Liberty had 1000lbs of ballast removed the night before the final decider, light airs race. Forgot how much the NYYC made up the rules as they went along.

Oh yeah, that was pretty bold! The 12 meters could weigh ~20 tons, so 1k lbs is a small fraction, but not trivial either.

As shanghaisailor says, I guess they had a "quiver" of masts and ballast to match the conditions, which is probably how NYYC got away with it

I heard Liberty actually had 3 rating certificates @Steam Flyer. They would check the weather forecast and could change the internal ballast/sail area relationship accordingly and still rate as a 12m.

Clever eh? Actually back then was within the rules

If I remember correctly, after that event the IYRU brought in the 'one regatta, one certificate rule' but I could be wrong.

Cheers

SS

Cheers

 

[Dark'N'Stormy]

Born in 1984 and growing up in Perth, I don't remember any of the Americas Cup when it was in Fremantle but grew up idolizing a lot of the people involved....until i met them.

I begged my way into helping up with Australia 2 when she came back to Fremantle after sitting in the museum in Sydney. I even had a petition going around in year 6 to bring the boat back to WA (that was 1996).

When she came back to WA, I was there when she got unloaded from the truck and had the rig stepped. I was there helping out in the B shed where all of the museum pieces were removed for the Jubilee regatta and was on the support boats ferrying anyone man and their dog (crane driver, truck driver, catering company representatives) over for a ride on the boat.

I was lucky enough to get a call up the last time the boat sailed in Fremantle and get to sail it into the fishing boat harbor, and it seemed that only happened after my old man sent a strongly worded letter to the bloke running the show, essentially about not being a dick to a keen as hell 16/17 year old.

I personally found most of the crew to be wankers and be so pumped up by their own ego. The only bloke that would give me the time of day was the bowman (Damien I think his name was)

Certainly one of those instances where it wasn't great to meet your idols.

Anyhoo....21 years later, i have clearly gotten over it...

I look forward to watching the doco but it will be tainted after meeting a number of the guys.

For what it is worth, during 1995, I wrote back and forth to John Bertrand and got a lovely letter back from him and a book from his wife.

Cool story, and as far as sailing on legendary race boats, it doesn't get much better than Australia 2.
Was the crew full of dicks the original team from '83? Bertrand does say in the documentary that he has a massive ego...

 

[Mark_K]

I watched it last night too, really good documentary. Didn't remember that Liberty had 1000lbs of ballast removed the night before the final decider, light airs race. Forgot how much the NYYC made up the rules as they went along.

A cool aspect is after the NYYC chucked Conners to the curb, he went on to kick their asses in the 87 qualifiers and won it back.

It's cool to see people who should screw themselves actually do so. Doesn't happen often enough.

 

[shanghaisailor]

Born in 1984 and growing up in Perth, I don't remember any of the Americas Cup when it was in Fremantle but grew up idolizing a lot of the people involved....until i met them.

I begged my way into helping up with Australia 2 when she came back to Fremantle after sitting in the museum in Sydney. I even had a petition going around in year 6 to bring the boat back to WA (that was 1996).

When she came back to WA, I was there when she got unloaded from the truck and had the rig stepped. I was there helping out in the B shed where all of the museum pieces were removed for the Jubilee regatta and was on the support boats ferrying anyone man and their dog (crane driver, truck driver, catering company representatives) over for a ride on the boat.

I was lucky enough to get a call up the last time the boat sailed in Fremantle and get to sail it into the fishing boat harbor, and it seemed that only happened after my old man sent a strongly worded letter to the bloke running the show, essentially about not being a dick to a keen as hell 16/17 year old.

I personally found most of the crew to be wankers and be so pumped up by their own ego. The only bloke that would give me the time of day was the bowman (Damien I think his name was)

Certainly one of those instances where it wasn't great to meet your idols.

Anyhoo....21 years later, i have clearly gotten over it...

I look forward to watching the doco but it will be tainted after meeting a number of the guys.

For what it is worth, during 1995, I wrote back and forth to John Bertrand and got a lovely letter back from him and a book from his wife.

Its always a shame when you meet an idol and they turn out to be full of their own importance. I have experienced that in both directions. Those that turn out to be wankers I almost instantly forget. I have, thankfully had more positive experiences in the opposite direction with, for example Ken Read turning to out to be extremely gracious, Kevin Escoffier (Dongfeng's Mr Fix It) such a down to earth guy. Mike Golding, too, is another who has never forgotten his roots. More good guys than bad in my experience.

Fewster is, I think Damien's surname. He was replacement bowman when the original Scotty McAllister (I think) broke his arm when the mast crane collapsed on it.

Was the book Rasa sent to you "Born to Win"? I am on my third copy, I keep lending it out and not getting it back. The best book I have ever read about running a campaign - or any small team.

I have seen Black Magic in the Auckland Museum, I would love to see A2 some day, the boat that broke the mould.

Cheers

SS

 

[FinnFish]

Dennis had two rating certificates from the 12-Meter Class, if this is fuckery it's not from NYYC.

Of course not, the NYYC has never had a reputation for or ever been involved in any fuckery.

As for Conner, not many tears shed when he lost in 1995 to Black Magic. I was only a little fella when the 1987 Cup was held in Freo but I always remember him saying 'You're a loser, now get off the stage' to Bruce Farr. Conner was a first class cunt, right behind Coutts.

 

[Steam Flyer]

Of course not, the NYYC has never had a reputation for or ever been involved in any fuckery.

As for Conner, not many tears shed when he lost in 1995 to Black Magic. I was only a little fella when the 1987 Cup was held in Freo but I always remember him saying 'You're a loser, now get off the stage' to Bruce Farr. Conner was a first class cunt, right behind Coutts.

Oh I agree. Totally an ass. Very good sailor but lacking any other redeeming features. Way way back when he was racing Lightnings, he showed up at a major event with protest forms already filled out against the dozen or so skippers he felt had a good chance of beating him. All he had to do was fill in the rule number (this was before one could exonerate for a foul with penalty turns).

I recall him saying, about New Zealand's fiberglass 12s, "Why would you build one out of fiberglass unless you intended to cheat?" Kind of gives away his intentions.

But as for having multiple rating certificates for the same boat in different configurations, I can see that, if the class rule doesn't forbid it. It's obviously not as good as putting your keel on upside-down and adding wings.

 

[Jethrow]

Well I enjoyed it. I especially had a laugh at the bit about Benny sketching some weird out-there keel drawing and then "accidentally" leaving it in the photocopy machine near the dock in Newport before running back a few hours later "worried" to see if anyone had found it!

 

[Dark'N'Stormy]

Well I enjoyed it. I especially had a laugh at the bit about Benny sketching some weird out-there keel drawing and then "accidentally" leaving it in the photocopy machine near the dock in Newport before running back a few hours later "worried" to see if anyone had found it!

That was a funny moment! I'm guessing that all the onlookers had started to figure out what was going on under Australia II's skirt, probably from the aerial footage during racing where she was heeled over and the keel was fairly visible. Benny knew the jig was up, but figured he'd have one last laugh

 

[Marty Gingras]

Thanks for the heads-up. Watched it last night. Quite fun.

 

[Stingray~]

Trailer



A chronicle of the thrilling 1983 America’s Cup, “The Race of the Century” is a classic underdog story. It tells the tale of the scrappy group of Australians who band together to dethrone the New York Yacht Club, and break the longest-running win streak in history— 132 years!— in the most prestigious sailing competition in the world. Key members of the 1983 U.S. and Australian crews sit down for interviews sharing their experience of this ultimate race to victory.

 

[Ventucky Red]

I watched this last night, too... always love the underdog... great story, even got the kid interested in watching it. And WTF is up with those hats the NYC snobs were wearing?

 

[167149]

building a factory in east auckland when this news came through at morning smoko and 3 of us looked at each other and grinned...... we'll have that fucker watch this space......... was the only comment passed took a coupla goes but sure enough.... yachting comment of the century for me though was in 95 when cayard (i think it was... bit hazy memory on this) said to conner "well they've gone.... now what ???"