The Telegraph Book of the Olympics by Martin Smith

Author:Martin Smith [Smith, Martin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781781310366
Publisher: Aurum

21 OCTOBER 1968

FOSBURY IS NO FLOP

James Coote

MEXICO CITY, Sunday

Dick Fosbury took the high jump title back to the United States after a long absence with his unique style, the Fosbury flop, in which he pivots on his right foot as he goes over the bar. He pulls his knees up and lands on his back facing the way he came. Fosbury won with seven feet four and a quarter inches, a height beaten only by the world record holder, Valeriy Brumel, of Russia, and Ni Chih-Chin, of China.

22 OCTOBER 1968

SUPERDOCIOUS TRIUMPHS ON

TRAFALGAR DAY

AISHER COLLECTS BRONZE

A Special Correspondent

ACAPULCO, Monday

Rodney Pattisson and Iain Macdonald-Smith, in Superdocious, finished second behind Brazil in the final Flying Dutchman race here today to win the gold medal for Britain, and Robin Aisher pulled off a splendid third in the 5.5 metres to collect a bronze. And what could be more fitting than for Pattisson, a submarine lieutenant, to win his gold on Trafalgar Day. Pattisson and Macdonald-Smith finished first in the first six races and despite their disqualification on the first day, needed only to finish better than twenty-fourth in the concluding race today.

Starting alone out of harm’s way at the wrong end of the line, they headed inshore and let the rest of the fleet go out. The wind, which had veered before the start, backed twenty degrees in the first beat and they suffered badly in consequence, rounding the weather mark about tenth. The second and third beats were still biased. The wind, though fresher than yesterday, was still full of holes and they were unable to catch the Brazilian crew. The Superdocious crew will have to wait now for their medals until tomorrow evening, as the presentation ceremony has been postponed in case of protests.

Pattisson, twenty-five, blond, good-looking, lives in Poole and is five feet nine inches and ten and a half stone, and has been on almost continuous leave from the Royal Navy since February. He was brought up on sailing and crewed for his sisters until he was old enough to helm himself to victory in the 1960 Cadet championship. From the Cadet he went to a 12-foot Firefly, and then made the large jump to the 20-foot Flying Dutchman, buying the ancient No. 20 in time to sail in the 1964 Olympic trials and finish about eighth.

Superdocious has a conventional centre-board because of the rejection of the trailing-edge flap and a fixed rudder, which saves a useful six pounds over the normal lifting one. Pattisson and Macdonald-Smith are thorough in every detail. Every morning they check the entire boat, careen her, inspect the bottom and wash it free of dust. They hoist the mainsail by hand and shackle it at the head – no halyards to add weight or break. The success of Pattisson and Macdonald-Smith gave Britain her first yachting gold medal since Stuart Morris won in the Swallow class in 1948.

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