“Talking Sailing” From My Archives. Albatros Takes the Handicap Lead

by Richard Crockett

Although ‘Stormkaap’ and her problems continue to hog the headlines, there were two bits of good news as ‘Albatros’ had taken the lead on handicap with her near sistership ‘Mercury’ second overall, and the all-women yacht which had not reported a position for six days, managing to make contact with the Guardship.

Today’s Results. Line Honours
1 Striana
2 Graybeard
3 Ocean Spirit
4 Hamburg
5 Albatros

Handicap
1 Albatros
2 Mercury
3 Hamburg
4 Striana
5 Pioneer

‘Tafelberg’ rendezvoused with ‘Stormkaap’, and crew from the guardship went aboard the stricken vessel to assess the damage and effect a temporary repair to keep her watertight.

“Albatros in Lead”. ‘Albatros’, the lightweight ocean racer from Knysna skippered by John Goodwin, came into the handicap lead on yesterday’s positions and lies fifth in line, 81 miles behind the overall leader, the French ketch ‘Striana’.
READ MORE HERE:  1971 01 26 – Rio 1971 – Dave Elcock Collection -000360 – OCR

“Yachting Men Watch the Handicaps”. While the Rio fleet front-runners – and the yachts with problems – continue to dominate news from the South Atlantic, yachtsmen are watching the handicap positions with great interest. For the big prize, the trophy for the overall winners, will go to the yacht that wins on handicap.
READ MORE HERE:  1971 01 26 – Rio 1971 – Dave Elcock Collection -000504 – OCR

“Skipper Hears His Wife Is Safe”. Molly Warr, skipper of Cape Town’s all-women Rio race entry ‘Sprinter’, set minds at ease yesterday when her voice came crackling over guardship ‘Tafelberg’s’ radio – six days after the pint-sized sloop last reported her position.
READ MORE HERE:  1971 01 26 – Rio 1971 – Dave Elcock Collection -000427 – OCR

“St. Helena Pledges to Aid Stormkaap”. The Governor of St. Helena, Sir Dermod Art Murphy, told the Cape Times by telephone yesterday that the islanders would do “everything in their power” to help the Cape Town yacht ‘Stormkaap’.
READ MORE HERE:  1971 01 26 – Rio 1971 – Dave Elcock Collection -000336 – OCR

“Stormkaap Hopes to Meet Mailship”. Dave Abromowitz, skipper of rudder-troubled ‘Stormkaap’, hopes to meet the ‘Southampton Castle’ at St. Helena on Saturday for reshipment to Cape Town.
READ MORE HERE:  1971 01 26 – Rio 1971 – Dave Elcock Collection -000337 – OCR

“Elegance May Get Allowance”. ‘Stormkaap’s’ retirement from the race cannot be assumed till the Sailing Committee, now across the Atlantic, has confirmed receipt and acceptance of the skipper’s intentions.
READ MORE HERE:  1971 01 26 – Rio 1971 – Dave Elcock Collection -000532 – OCR

“Get to Know Them”. Somewhere along the line, either in the transmission of news or because the reading was for a period of more than 24 hours, but there was a mistake in the calculation of distance travelled in one day by ‘Applemist’. It was stated on Saturday that in jumping up 30 places to the position of third on handicap she · had done more than·300 miles … which would mean nothing short of out-doing the mail boat.
READ MORE HERE:  1971 01 26 – Rio 1971 – Dave Elcock Collection -000277 – OCR

“Position Reports”.
READ MORE HERE:  1971 01 26 – Rio 1971 – Dave Elcock Collection -000448 – OCR