Conny van Rietschoten returned to the third edition of the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1981-82 determined not just to defend his title but to win both line honors on every leg, and the overall race on handicap. Impressively, with his Flyer II, he was able to accomplish just that.

He also had some young and impressive young talent on board to help him on his quest, including Grant Dalton, who would go on to become an icon of the race in his own right, while Sir Peter Blake skippered his own campaign for the first time.