▁first ▁leg ▁to ▁give ▁Fly er ▁II ▁a ▁run - away ▁victory ▁on ▁this ▁first ▁stage ▁of ▁the ▁race ▁to ▁Cape ▁Town , ▁but ▁there after , ▁the ▁two ▁y ach ts ▁rac ed ▁neck - and - ne ck ▁around ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁height ▁of ▁this ▁competition ▁when ▁Con ny ▁van ▁R iet sch oten ▁showed ▁the ▁ste ely ▁side ▁of ▁his ▁character . ▁He ▁suffered ▁a ▁heart ▁attack ▁when ▁their ▁y acht ▁was ▁deep ▁into ▁the ▁Southern ▁Ocean , ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁A uck land , ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁Van ▁R iet sch oten ▁sw ore ▁his ▁crew ▁to ▁secre cy , ▁and ▁would ▁not ▁even ▁allow ▁the ▁Fly er ▁II ▁doctor ▁Julian ▁Full er ▁to ▁call ▁a ▁card i ologist ▁ab o ard ▁their ▁rival ▁y acht ▁Cer am co ▁for ▁advice . ▁“ The ▁nearest ▁port ▁was ▁ 1 0 ▁days ▁away ▁and ▁the ▁critical ▁period ▁is ▁always ▁the ▁first ▁ 2 4 – 3 6 ▁hours ,” ▁he ▁re called ▁later . ▁“ C er am co ▁was ▁already ▁breath ing ▁down ▁our ▁ne cks . ▁If ▁they ▁had ▁known ▁that ▁I ▁had ▁a ▁health ▁problem , ▁they ▁would ▁have ▁pushed ▁their ▁boat ▁even ▁harder . ▁When ▁you ▁die ▁at ▁sea , ▁you ▁are ▁buried ▁over ▁the ▁side . ▁Perhaps ▁those ▁Cer am co ▁boys ▁might ▁then ▁have ▁sp otted ▁me ▁dr ifting ▁by . ▁And ▁that ▁I ▁was ▁determined ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁only ▁thing ▁they ▁would ▁see ▁or ▁hear