22 August. It was 160 years ago today, on August 22nd, 1851, when the yacht America triumphed over the pride of the British fleet in a race around the Isle of Wight, off England's south coast, winning the trophy that came to bear the yacht’s name.

At 160 years old, the America's Cup is often called the oldest trophy in international sport. To give some context, consider that when the first Games of the modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece in 1896, the first chapter in the America's Cup story had been written a full 45 years earlier.

It began in the early summer of 1851, America sailed across the Atlantic from the east coast of the United States for a season of racing against the best that Britain could offer.

But her owners had tipped their hand. On arriving in British waters, America had left its welcoming committee in its wake, making races (and the profitable wagers that accompanied them) difficult to find.

Eventually, America was able to enter the Royal Yacht Squadron's £100 Cup (also referred to as the 100 Guinea Cup); a race around the Isle of Wight against a fleet of British boats, with the winner on the water taking the trophy - no time allowances would be made.

The boats started, arranged under anchor, in two rows off Cowes. As the start gun fired at 10:00am, the yachts slipped anchor in the light breeze and made their way to the East.

America actually started poorly, and was in fifth place when the yachts passed No Mans Buoy.

But after slipping inside the Nab Lightship, she passed Culver Cliff in a dominant position and would never be overtaken.

America finished the race at 8:37 pm, 12 minutes clear of Aurora. The last boat to finish, Brilliant, cleared the line at 1:30 am the next day.

The owners of America briefly considered melting down the trophy they had just won to create medals. Fortunately, they had a change of heart and donated it to the New York Yacht Club under a Deed of Gift that still governs the America's Cup competition to this day.

That day in August was notable too for giving us perhaps the most famous quote to be associated with the America's Cup - 'There is no second'.

This is how it came about.

Of that first race in 1851, The Times newspaper reported: "Off Cowes…was heard the hail, Is the America first? The answer, yes. What is second? The reply - nothing."

In his history of the America's Cup, An Absorbing Interest, Bob Fisher recounts this and continues: "This almost certainly gave credence to the apocryphal story that the Queen (Victoria) had asked a signalman, on being told that the America was first, 'Who is second?' And the signalman was said to have replied, 'Ma'am, there is no second'."

To this day, 160 years later, it still represents a fine description of the sporting contest of the America's Cup.

Photo: Beken of Cowes/Louis Vuitton

15 August. As the first event ends, all eyes turn to Plymouth, the second event in the America's Cup World Series. To be held September 10-18 in Plymouth Sound, thousands are expected to pack the world-famous Plymouth Hoe and the surrounding shoreline to catch sight of the best sailors on the fastest boats. Read more

18 August. The Plymouth Hoe will come alive with the America’s Cup experience when the America’s Cup World Series kicks off in Plymouth 10-18 September. The nine-day international sporting competition will see fast action on the race course, while off the water, thousands of fans will enjoy local and international live music, access to sailing stars and, interactive displays in a fun-charged festival on shore at The Base. Read more

Photo credits: ACEA (2011)/ Photo R. Pinto

17 August. Network to Air America’s Cup World Series Highlights Program for each 2011 Event. The very first America’s Cup World Series has now concluded after seven spectacular days of close racing off the coast of Cascais, Portugal. Event organizers have realized months of preparation as America’s Cup Television (ACTV) delivered its first broadcast featuring a whole new viewer experience. And to bring that action to fans in the United States, VERSUS will broadcast an America’s Cup World Series highlight program for each of the 2011 AC World Series events. Read more

As the America’s Cup World Series prepares to land in Plymouth, UK, we look back at the images captured by photographers Gilles Martin-Raget and Ricardo Pinto in Cascais that tell the story of a truly unforgettable inaugural event for the teams, organizers, guests and the public. Click on the links below to see:

ACWS – Cascais: Highlights
ACWS – Cascais: A public experience
ACWS - Cascais: Club 45/Guest Racer program
ACWS - Cascais: video highlights

Photo above: Gilles Martin-Raget; photo below: Ricardo Pinto.

18 August. For the novice sailor, learning to sail on a ‘reach’ is one of the first things they learn to do. Reaching - sailing in a direction with the wind blowing at right angles to the boat - is one of the most basic, predictable aspects of sailing. In a normal boat, that is. Read more

Photo credits: ACEA (2011)/ Photo R. Pinto

14 August. Seeing the smug grins that some of my fellow journalists have been wearing as they swagger back into the media centre after a ride on an AC45 as a guest racer - well I just had to have a go. Andy Rice tells his experience as Guest Racer onboard Team Korea. Read more

Oracle Racing
Larry Ellison at ACWS Cascais
ORACLE Racing founder and afterguard member Larry Ellison took part in the grand finale race of the ACWS – Cascais and expressed exuberance after the thrilling 40-minute race. Read more

Artemis Racing
Cayard comments on the ACWS - Cascais
The first racing of the new America’s Cup is now in the record books.  In yesterday's only and final race, there were three lead changes, the top boat speed was 24 knots, the course had 6 legs, and the race took 40 minutes and was within .5 miles of the shore.  Everything that had been promised was delivered.  Cascais delivered perfect conditions all week with wind between 8 and 18 knots. Read more

Aleph Équipe de France
The big race
Bertrand Pacé took the helm of ALEPH today, his second day ever steering the AC45 and he put some muscle and close contact racing spirit into the way the team handled the race. Read more

China Team
Part ways with its skipper
China Team, the Chinese challenger for the 34th America’s Cup, has decided to part ways with its skipper Mitch Booth after the first AC World Series in Cascais, Portugal, last week. Read more

Emirates Team New Zealand
Finish with a flourish at Cascais
Emirates Team New Zealand finished the Cascais AC45 World Series regatta with a flourish on Sunday, wining the final fleet race. Read more

Energy team
See you in Plymouth
After taking part in the first event in the AC World Series in Cascais (Portugal) from 6th to 14th August, Energy Team will be present from 10th to 18th September in Plymouth (Great Britain) for the second confrontation scheduled on the calendar for the AC45s. At this event, the French team will be determined to confirm their pleasing results from Cascais where they found themselves up there with the top teams on several occasions, ending up in 6th place in the first event of the circuit. Read more

Green Comm Racing
Incredible Green Comm Racing finishes 5th in America's Cup World Series Cascais
With just 8 days sailing on an AC45, Green Comm Racing's Olympic champion score an incredible 5^th overall in Cascais. Read more

Team Korea
Team Korea - ‘surprise of the week’ at America’s Cup World Series
The first of the 2011-2012 America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) events drew to a close in Cascais, Portugal today, having set a new format competition on the way with style, excitement and huge promise. Team Korea have enjoyed their introduction to the competition with fantastic success, and are regarded as the ‘surprise of the week’ given their stellar performance, but it wasn’t quite the champagne finish in the last race that people had started to expect from them, taking seventh in the fleet race on ‘Super Sunday’ – the big finale to the event. Read more