by Richard Crockett
To read the full reports, click on the LINK following the headline.
1970. “Wayfarer Takes to the Water”. Another Durban entry for the Cape-to-Rio yacht race was launched yesterday. Mrs. Don Stayt, wife of the Daily News columnist “Wayfarer” in whose honour the 15-metre yacht was named, sent her down the slipway as crew members and their families watched.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1970 12 13 821
1985. “Ocean Greyhounds Prepare for the Challenge of Rothmans Week”. One of the major events on the South African sailing calendar, the Rothmans Week regatta, will be held in Table Bay from December 14 to 21. Staged since 1974, it is sponsored by Rothmans, who have been involved in the sailing scene from 1960.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1985 12 13 879
1986. “Gallant Bid to Trim NZ’s Lead Falls Short”. Britain’s White Crusader extended top America’s Cup contender New Zealand to the fullest but fell just short yesterday and is all but out of contention for a semifinals berth in the Challenger’s series.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1986 12 13 702
1986. New York Challenge Fades After New Defeat Ahead in Race to Rio”. The New York Yacht Club, home- of the America’s Cup for 132 years, faces defeat after three years and R50-million spent in trying to win back the trophy.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1986 12 13 704
1998. “Bertie Reed Pushing for Clean Sweep Win”. Bertie Reed. chased by his old love Van Ryn Voortrekker, was sailing all-out for the finish-line in Table Bay yesterday in a bid to score a clean-sweep victory in the Clinic Holdings Dias race.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1988 01 13 3
1988. “Meek Family Star in Sailing Week”. The Meek family dominated the 15th Rothmans Sailing Week which ended in mild conditions in Table Bay yesterday.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1988 12 13a
1988. “John Martin Pipped – Beauty and All”. The third inshore around-the-buoys race in the· Rothman’s Week Regatta produced an exciting finish for line honours yesterday.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1988 12 13b
1990. “Injured Yachtsman’s Radio Washed Overboard”. A world-wide alert was sounded yesterday as 28-year-old British BOC Challenge yachtsman Josh Hall dislocated a knee and his emergency radio beacon washed overboard when his yacht was knocked down in pounding seas.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1990 12 13 395 4_Redacted
1994. “Yachtsman in New Late Night Drama”. Round the world yachtsman Neal Petersen, whose crippled vessel is heading for Port Elizabeth, has been hit by more drama in treacherous Indian Ocean weather.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1994 12 13 052
1995. “Foreigners ‘Spy’ on Locals Ahead of Rio Race”. When the start gun fires in Table Bay on Saturday to signal another round of combat at sea in the annual Rothmans Week, the regatta will have an added dimension of competition as Cape-to-Rio fever gains momentum and dozens of top international yachtsmen
scrutinise South Africa’s standard of sailing from the sidelines.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 1995 12 13 653
2001. “Heiner Kan in Tafelbaai Vergeet Van Terugslag”. “Dit is koud en nat en vinnig. Ek huil as ek daaraan dink,” het die Nederlandse seiljagvaarder Roy Heiner gister hier by Royal Cape-seiljagklub gese.
TRANSLATION: Heiner Can Forget About Backlash in Table Bay ”. “It’s cold and wet and fast. I cry when I think about it,” said Dutch yachtsman Roy Heiner here at the Royal Cape yacht club.
To read the full report, Click on the following LINK: 2001 12 13 915
Comments and contributions are welcome. Email: editor@sailing.co.za
What is “On this Day” About?
I am busy archiving many boxes of press cuttings I have accumulated and which I guestimate run into tens of thousands! A daunting task which I believe to be necessary before ditching them as I have been concerned for many years about the lack of interest Clubs, Classes and other sailing related organisations give to preserving their history.
This is my personal crusade, and instead of simply archiving and keeping the contents away from prying eyes, I will share my spoils in the hope that you will enjoy reminiscing as much as I have, and continue to do as I wade through the labourious process of scanning each and every cutting in my archives.
As each scanned cutting will be searchable, I will be able to create presentation packs personally tailored to a persons exact requirements – ie. Rathmines Week, the NCS Regatta, the Rio Race, Mauritius Race, Vasco da Gama Race and more – or simply by the name of an individual (like Ant Steward and his open boat exploits) who want a record of his/her sailing career for the family archives.
I have already done this by scanning in excess of 4000 pages of material I have on ‘Voortrekker’ – from idle chatter, to concept, to the formation of what ultimately became the South African Ocean Racing Trust (SAORT), to the fruition of the 1968 OSTAR Race in which Bruce Dalling and ‘Voortrekker’ excelled – and even beyond that.
The possibilities are endless – so watch this space.
Comments and contributions are welcome. Email: editor@sailing.co.za