22 May 1990

Sir Peter BLAKE (NZL) led Steinlager 2 to victory in every leg as he finally emerged victorious in the Whitbread Round the World Race. Meanwhile Tracy EDWARDS (GBR) led the first all-female team in the race, disproving the doubters by finishing in 12th place overall and bringing the race to TV screens and newspaper front pages around the world.

BLAKE lined up for the start of the 1989-90 Whitbread Race as the only sailor to have competed in all four previous editions and 13 years after he set sail as watch officer on Burton Cutter, he would finally secure round the world victory.

Twenty three entrants made the fleet the biggest ever, with BLAKE’s Steinlager 2 the leading contender amongst a proliferation of big boats. The 84-foot Bruce FARR-designed Ketch, affectionately named Big Red, had already demonstrated her speed in winning the 1989 Fastnet Race.

BLAKE’s closest rival proved to be his watchleader from the race’s previous edition, Grant DALTON (NZL). In Fisher & Paykel, DALTON also had a maxi ketch, albeit two foot shorter than BLAKE’s.

Right from the start, BLAKE and Steinlager 2 signalled their intention, leading out of Southampton at the start and winning leg 1 to Punta del Este, in a time more than a week faster than the predicted 30 days.

The teams entered the Southern Ocean in leg 2, which turned out to be one of the most exciting in the race’s history. Steinlager 2, Fisher & Paykel, and fellow maxis Merit and Rothmans all converged as the finish in Fremantle approached. Just 22 nm seperated the front four with the final tactical manoeuvres played out through the night. Fisher & Paykel surrendered their advantage as they ran into light winds, BLAKE squeezed past to take his second leg win by 90 minutes, and Merit and Rothmans fought right to the line for second, with the latter winning out by just 28 seconds.

A week after the leaders had finished, EDWARDS led her all-female team home on the 58 foot Sloop Maiden, finishing top of her class in the punishing Southern Ocean leg.

Leg 3 into Auckland saw the same four battling for honours again, and again it was BLAKE who came up trumps, getting a jump on DALTON for a vital sail change thanks to tuning into the local radio as he approached Auckland! Finishing just 6 minutes ahead of Fisher & Paykel, Steinlager 2 was welcomed into Auckland with a rapturous reception. The crowds were also out in force three days later, as Maiden again took top honours in her division.

The final Southern Ocean leg took the teams from Auckland, round Cape Horn to Punta del Este and again BLAKE and DALTON were facing off for the lead. Neither team could shake off the other, but DALTON was set to be denied again, with Steinlager 2 completing her fourth leg win by another narrow margin, this time 21 minutes. Leg 5 to Fort Lauderdale produced a similar result, as BLAKE came in first, 34 minutes ahead of DALTON, leaving him in pole position as the teams lined up for the start of the final transatlantic leg back to Southampton.

Four days’ into the leg, BLAKE’s near-perfect performance almost fell victim to his previous bad luck, as the crew heard an ominous loud crack in the middle of the night. A chainplate attaching the rigging to the yacht had failed, but helm Brad BUTTERWORTH (NZL) saved the day with an immediate crash gybe saving the rig and the race for the Kiwis. For BLAKE there was still no question of taking things easy and he and the crew spent the rest of the night completing and fitting a makeshift replacement for the chainplate to see them through to Southampton.

One final Kiwi battle to the finish ensued, with Steinlager 2 winning out again to take the final leg by 36 minutes. BLAKE had been pushed all the way by DALTON, but in the end, his fifth Whitbread Round the World Race resulted in the overall victory which had previously eluded him.

Where Are They Now

Following his victory in the Whitbread Sir Peter BLAKE went on to win the Jules Verne Trophy in 1994, setting the fastest time around the world on catamaran ENZA, with Sir Robin KNOX-JOHNSTON (GBR). Later in the same year he and KNOX-JOHNSTON were named winners of the inaugural ISAF World Sailor of the Year Award.

Having led New Zealand to the Challenger final in 1992, BLAKE headed up the Black Magic syndicate that won the America’s Cup for his country in 1995. The same year he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 2000 he led Team New Zealand in their successful defence, becoming the first non-American team to defend the America’s Cup.

On 6 December 2001, whilst on an environmental exploration trip in South America Peter BLAKE was killed by pirates, aged 53. In 2002 he was posthumously awarded the Olympic Order of the International Olympic Committee.

ISAF In 1990

Muiden, Netherlands hosted the 20th edition of the ISAF Youth World Championship. The 1990 Youth Worlds were the biggest to date with racing across five different events, including a Girl’s Laser Radial event for the first time. Amongst the gold medallists in Muiden were future Team New Zealand star Dean BARKER (NZL).

Later in the year in November, four-time Olympic gold medallist Paul ELVSTRÖM (DEN) was awarded the ISAF Beppe Croce Trophy.