A round-the-world, race-winning crew is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its feat this year and is trying to hunt down missing members for a reunion dinner.

Dutchman Conny van Rietschoten skippered the crew to his second victory in the Whitbread Round the World Race, when the 76ft Frers-designed maxi Flyer won line and handicap honours in 1981-82.

Many of the crew also collected handicap honours in the 1977-78 race aboard an S&S-designed ketch, also called Flyer (pictured).

To mark the occasion the crew are meeting in Alicante, Spain at the start of this year’s race, which is now known as the Volvo Ocean Race.

Most of the crew still successfully compete at the upper echelons of the sport, such as Grant Dalton – leading the Camper entry in this year’s Ocean Race – and Erle Williams, currently trying to beat the Fastnet Race-record on the 100ft maxi yacht, Rambler.

But the whereabouts of several others crew remain unknown.

From the 1981-82 race Frenchman Patrick Antelme is unaccounted for, as are his compatriot, Marcel Laurin, Britons Bruce Ashwood, Rod White and John Anderson and New Zealand’s Chris Moselen ferom the 1977-78 race.

If anyone knows where they are, please contact Barry Pickthall at ppl@mistral.co.uk.

Subscribe to Yachting Monthly magazine for all the latest sailing news and reviews.

Photo: Alistair Black/PPL