Sailing Magazine
by Richard Crockett
It’s sad but true that the history of our sport and the preservation of its history, is simply not a priority for many today. As a result club and class history is missing, trophies, which were floating trophies, can no longer be accounted for, and much much more.
The Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) who are the custodians of the Cape to Rio Race, are making a concerted effort to track and trace as many of the old race trophies that are missing.
One of these, a very beautiful old galleon, is missing.
This trophy was presented by Mainstay and named the Candida Trophy – although there are many references to it simply being referred to as “the Mainstay Trophy”.
An advert published by Mainstay in January 1971 says it was awarded to the “sprucest yacht” prior to the start. It was won by ‘Fortuna’ due to her clean equipment and impeccable layout gear.
I am able to glean the following recipients from my archives as follows:
1973 – ‘Kameha-Meha’
1976 – ‘Rubin IV’
1979 – ‘Omuramba’
Should anyone have an inkling as to where this trophy (and other sailing trophies in general) may be, please comment or mail – editor@sailing.co.za – and I will pass it on to the relevant people.
NOTE. I am doing my best to capture and preserve as much of the history of our sport as possible. So if you have old scrap books, newspaper cuttings and even old photos of sailing in this country, please let me have them to be scanned and archived. They will be returned in the same condition as received.
