Baron Marcel Bich, then 50 years old and having built a fortune with his ballpoint pens, launched the first French challenge for the America’s Cup in 1970. When the New York Yacht Club told him they already had a challenger he showed some outside-the-box thinking and asked if there could be a challenger selection series, analogous to the defender selection trials held by the NYYC. His elegant 12m “France” was soundly beaten by Australia’s “Gretel.” In the final race, with the legendary Eric Tabarly as navigator, “France” was swallowed up by Newport’s fog and never found the finish line. Bich challenged three more times – 1974, 1977 and 1980. Only Sir Thomas Lipton and Patrizio Bertelli had more challenges. Bich never made it to the America’s Cup Match, but by inventing the challenger series he earned his place in the America’s Cup Hall of Fame.