Quickly after its launch - June 3, 1967 - Pen Duick III took part in the selection rounds of the French Admiral's Cup team in Saint-Malo. Its double bilge hull immediately shows its advantages, despite a few errors in the boom's operation on the free foresail. Modern and efficient, Pen Duick III dominates his French competitors, Francis Bouygues' Oryx or the Renot brothers' Gerfaut. Redoutable upwind, it is untouchable downwind with its 320 m2 of canvas for a very light displacement of 12 200 kg. The show is on when Pen Duick III is able to glide at almost 15 knots in the breeze.
His first English race will be the Morgan Cup, a 200 mile triangular course in the English Channel. Once again, the black-hulled schooner outperformed its competitors. Victory that he continued in the Channel Race, the Gotland Race, Plymouth-La-Rochelle or La Rochelle-Bénodet, culminating in the famous Fastnet - 600 miles long and among the most prestigious.
"This victory is the one that touches me the most. It will remain an indelible memory for me and my teammates, as Sydney-Hobart will later be" will write Eric Tabarly in Mémoires du Large.
Sydney-Hobart... Let's talk about it... The mythical Australian race but also the most coveted race of the antipodes attracts Eric Tabarly and his crew. It was therefore with his 7 crew that he covered the 600 miles and won the race in real time on 30 December 1967 ! The crew - whose average age is 22 years - is the youngest in the history of the race to win it. On board are of course Éric Tabarly, Philippe Lavat, Michel Vanek, Olivier de Kersauson, Pierre English, Patrick Tabarly Yves Gugan, Guy Tabarly and Gérard Petipas, who will be the right-hand man of the famous sailor.
The victory is beautiful and the media coverage incredible. The edition of the Paris Match of 13 January 1968 dedicated its cover to him, but also 18 colour pages to relive the adventure from the inside, thanks to the two reporters on board. Readers discover the images of the start, but also the wounded face of Eric Tabarly, following the fall of the pole. An unprecedented impact in the world of ocean racing!
Unfortunately, following this clear domination of the French, the members of the RORC decided in 1968 to heavily penalize the schooner rigging. Éric Tabarly therefore decided to transform the rig of his Pen Duick III into a ketch, that same year and then into a sloop with only one mainmast in 1971, but no longer enjoy the success of his first year.
Eric Tabarly continues to sail aboard the Pen Duick III in the Pacific between Los Angeles and Tahiti, in the South Atlantic between Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro, in the Mediterranean in the Middle Sea Race or in Florida for the SORC events. But he will pass the baton on to other skippers trying their hand at other Pen Duick.
1967 Honours List
10-11 June 1967 in Saint-Malo, 1st in the two selection regattas of the French team for the Admiral's Cup
16 June 1967: Morgan Cup from Portsmouth to Cherbourg and back: 1st in class I and II
4 July 1967 : Gotland Race (departure from Sandham - island of Gotland and return) : 1st in class I
2 August 1967 : Channel Race, 1st in class I and all classes
10 August 1967 : Fastnet, 1st in compensated time and in real time
13 August 1967 : Plymouth - La Rochelle, 1st
18 August 1967 : La Rochelle - Bénodet, 1st
27 August 1967 : Tour of Groix Island, 1st in class I and all classes
26-30 Dec. 1967 : Sydney - Hobart, 1st in real time and 2 e in compensated time behind Rainbow as PD III had to anchor 45 minutes 40 miles from the finish due to a lack of wind.
