Louis Vuitton Has Entered America’s Cup Hall of Fame

SAIL AWAY: Amid the final races to decide the victor of the 37th America’s Cup, title partner Louis Vuitton has entered the America’s Cup Hall of Fame.

At an awards ceremony in Barcelona on Monday, the luxury goods giant was awarded the prestigious Sir Richard Francis Sutton Medal, named after the Royal Yacht Squadron sailor who raced in the America’s Cup back in 1885. Recipients of the medal enter the Hall of Fame.

Pietro Beccari, chairman and chief executive officer of Louis Vuitton, accepted the award via a video address. “We are proud to have accompanied the history of this legendary trophy, sharing the same values as the America’s Cup: the ambition to surpass oneself and the continuous quest for innovation,” he said.

Beccari also expressed his gratitude to Grant Dalton, CEO of the America’s Cup, “for his unwavering confidence and bold vision in developing this historic partnership.”

The Hall of Fame was created to recognize and encourage the spirit of the sportsmanship prized by sailing’s most prestigious race, often described as the Formula 1 of the sea.

According to Vuitton, the medal is awarded intermittently “to persons or bodies that have exemplified that same spirit in their association with the America’s Cup.”

The Louis Vuitton Cup has been presented to the winner of the eponymous qualifying-stage competition since 1983. Vuitton has also played a role in America’s Cup races in the U.S., Australia, Bermuda, Hong Kong, Dubai, France and Spain, burnishing the regattas’ visibility and prestige. Vuitton was last the title partner of the America’s Cup in 2017 in Bermuda.

Ineos Britannia is currently battling it out for the Auld Mug with Emirates Team New Zealand for the big prize in Barcelona.

The silver trophy has been handed to the winner of the America’s Cup since 1851, considered the oldest international sports trophy in the world.