Clare Francis became the first del plata was replaced by punta del este in Uruguay. this was
woman to skipper a Whitbread also the last time for some years that a south African port, Cape
entry, ADC Accutrac. town, was used, although it was reinstated as a stopover port in
the 1997-98 race.
Flyer’s Encore 1981-82 of the fifteen yachts, seven were maxis but it was to be one
Cornelis van rietschoten
of the smallest boats in the race, the 58’ French sloop L’Esprit
returned on a new Flyer, which
d’Equipe, skippered by Lionel pean, which won the race on
was 76’ in length, with the
handicap, crossing the line on corrected time 111 days after
specific aim to win the race
leaving portsmouth (132 days elapsed time). pierre Fehlmann,
on both elapsed and corrected
on the 80’ maxi, UBS Switzerland, proved to be the fastest boat
time. this he achieved, crossing
round on elapsed time, finishing 117 days after the start. this
the finish line 119 days after
race was to be the last time the Whitbread trophy was awarded
Cornelius van Rietschoten
the fleet had set out from
on corrected time.
portsmouth in August 1981. Four legs were once again staged
but instead of rio de Janeiro, the third port of call was Mar de
‘Big Red’ 1989-90
plata, in Argentina. the 1989-90 race will long be remembered as the moment
twenty-nine yachts from 20 countries competed in the 1981- when the event came of age in terms of the massive publicity it
82 event, but nine failed to complete the course. With Flyer achieved for the remarkable feat of seamanship shown by new
dominating the event, van rietschoten became a national hero Zealand’s peter Blake, who on the 84’ Bruce Farr designed ketch,
and members of the Dutch royal Family greeted the whole Steinlager, claimed line honours on every one of the six legs,
crew when they returned to holland. the Dutchman’s intense and for the fact there was the first all-women entry, skippered by
preparation for this and the previous race, both in the building tracy edwards, on the 58’ sloop Maiden. It was also the first time
of the yachts and in the shore work during stopovers, was six legs were staged.
widely acclaimed, praised and copied in the years ahead. his twenty-three boats from thirteen countries crossed the start
determination to succeed was so great that not even a heart line at southampton and, for the first time, the fleet sailed across
attack during the second leg could deter his ambition. the Atlantic on the first leg to the south American port of punta
prior to the start it was thought that one of the most serious del este. From there it went down into the southern ocean to
challengers to Flyer would be peter Blake’s 68’ Ceramco New Fremantle, from Fremantle to Auckland, then back to punta del
Zealand. Although Ceramco won two of the four legs, including este, up to Fort Lauderdale and finally back to southampton. u
the final leg, Blake’s challenge was
scuppered shortly after it began when he
1898/90: Onboard Maiden
was dismasted on the first leg. With some
skippered by Tracy Edwards,
inspired seamanship, the Ceramco was
surfing in the Southern Ocean.
able to limp into Cape town only eleven
days behind Flyer, but the new Zealand
entry was never able to make up for lost
time. Blake’s day was yet to come.
Strength of Quality 1985-86
A smaller entry of fifteen yachts from ten
countries entered the fourth Whitbread,
but lack of quantity was more than made
up for in strength of quality with all the
yachts, including the new 80’ maxis, being
specifically built for this or an earlier race.
once again four legs were staged but Mar
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