Bermuda's Redemption Depends on the Last Great Yacht Race

The America’s Cup is the monument to excess Bermuda deserves

The keystone event of competitive sailing lies a three-hour flight from Atlanta, precariously dropped in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Six teams representing countries from North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania have descended on Bermuda in a display that combines elite technology and old-fashioned manpower in a battle for the oldest trophy in international sport.

Combined, they will spend more than half a billion dollars in service of the America’s Cup, an event reserved for the elite. Bermuda, one of the finest vestiges of the British Empire, has welcomed them with open arms. The country’s aim goes beyond the hospitality…