The 1920 America's Cup was the 13th challenge for the Cup and the first since 1903. It took place on the New York City harbor and consisted of a "best of five" series of races between the defender Resolute, entered by a syndicate of New York Yacht Club members headed by Henry Walters, and Shamrock IV, the fourth in Sir Thomas Liptons line of Cup challengers.
Despite losing the second race and becoming disabled in the first, Resolute won the final three races and in doing so lifted the Cup on behalf of the NYYC, continuing the clubs unbroken record of defending the America's Cup.
The 1920 America's Cup was originally scheduled to take place in 1914 but was postponed following the outbreak of World War I. The 13th Cup challenge was the last to take place in New York, and the first held under the Universal Rule of measurement.
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Following his unsuccessful Cup challenge in 1903 Sir Thomas Lipton, founder of the Lipton tea company, attempted to persuade the NYYC to adopt new rules of measurement for America's Cup yachts that would reduce their cost, which was widely seen to be a result of the Seawanhaka rule then used by the club. Despite the NYYC having adopted the new Universal Rule in 1903, formulated by Nathaniel Herreshoff, for its own races, it was reluctant to allow its use for America's Cup races and refused several challenges issued by Lipton until finally accepting in 1913.[1]
In the defender selection trials of 1914 Resolute competed against Vanitie, and Resolute won setting a course record.[2] The races were suspended as World War I broke out and did not resume until 1920, at which point Resolute again secured her place as defender in trials against Vanitie.
The American defender Resolute won 3-2 against the Irish challenger Shamrock IV.[3][4]
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