Tauranga 1973-74

The 1973–74 Whitbread Round the World Race was the first edition of this iconic Race. Seventeen yachts of different sizes and rigs took part, departing Portsmouth, England on September 8,1973 and visiting Cape Town, South Africa; Sydney, Australia and Río de Janeiro, Brazil; before arriving back in Portsmouth the following year.

The overall race was won by Sayula II, a brand new Swan 65 skippered by Mexican Ramón Carlín.

The yacht featured in this photograph, Tauranga, was skippered by Eric Pascoli. It was one of several Italian entries which competed in this first edition of the race, and finished tenth in the overall classification.