I have NO idea what triggered this memory in my melon last night when we made our shave ice run in Provo ('twas a gorgeous Summer evening, BTW).

I got thinking about those EPIC live-televised races in the late 80's when the country's patriotic fever seemed to coalesce around yachtsman Dennis Conner and his beautiful boat 'Stars & Stripes' when he took on the mighty Kiwis and Aussies down in the waters off Freemantle to reclaim the America's Cup....the equivalent of the SB trophy.

IIRC...the USA had dominated yacht racing for decades then got complacent and the Aussies won it and took it back down under for a period. Conner was sort of the Elon Musk of yacht racing and went back to the drawing board to re imagine yacht design and racing tactics.

Anyway...I remember watching it every night for a few weeks...sort of like when the Olympics are on. Anyone else remember this event?