| Competition: | 24th America's Cup |
| Image Alt: | Photograph of the yacht Freedom under sail |
| Defender Country: | United States |
| Defender Burgee: | Burgee of the New York Yacht Club.svg |
| Defender Club: | New York Yacht Club |
| Defender Yacht: | Freedom |
| Challenger Country: | Australia |
| Challenger Flag Variant: | civil |
| Challenger Burgee: | Burgee of royal perth yc.svg |
| Challenger Club: | Royal Perth Yacht Club |
| Challenger Yacht: | Australia |
| Location: | Newport, Rhode Island, United States |
| Dates: | September 1980 |
| Rule: | 12-metre |
| Winning Club: | New York Yacht Club |
| Score: | 4–1 |
| Next: | 1983 |
| Prev: | 1977 |
The 1980 America's Cup was held in September 1980 at Newport, Rhode Island. The US defender, Freedom, skippered by Dennis Conner, defeated the Australian challenger, Australia, skippered by James Hardy,[1] four races to one. This was the last successful defense of the cup by the New York Yacht Club and the last defender designed by the naval architectural firm Sparkman & Stephens. It was the sixth unsuccessful challenge by Australia and the third by Alan Bond.
Freedom had beaten Courageous and Clipper to become the defender. Australia had beaten France III, Lionheart and Sverige to become the challenger.[2]
Freedom's crew included skipper Dennis Conner, navigator Halsey Herreshoff, tactician Dennis Durgan, trimmer John Marshall, grinders Rives Potts and Kyle Smith, mastman Robert "Bobbie" Campbell, pitman Donald Kohlmann, bowman Lexi Gahagan, Jonathan Wright and Tom Whidden.[3]
Australia's crew included skipper James Hardy, Noel Robins, tactician Ben Lexcen, port trimmer John Bertrand, Scott McAllister, John Longley and Kenneth Judge.[4] [5] [6]
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