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Displaying items by tag: Richard Williams

#TITANIC - The Irish Times has highlighted "one of the less well-known tales of the disaster" of the Titanic, regarding two tennis champions who went on to enter that sport's hall of fame.

The story of Richard Williams and Lark Behr was told at an exhibition of sporting memorabilia in Yorkshire last month by collector Robert Fuller.

Williams, who was 21 at the time, was headed to the US Championships when the Titanic went down. He was among those rescued by the Carpathia after hours in frozen water, and fought with that ship's doctor who wanted to amputate his legs.

His persistence paid off, as just months later he was in the quarter finals of the US Open, a context he would win in 1914 and 1916, not to mention the Wimbledon doubles title in 1920 and Olympic gold in the mixed doubles in 1924.

Behr - who reportedly proposed to his fiancée on a lifeboat - also had a glittering career after the tragedy, reaching the doubles final at Wimbledon and number three in the US rankings.

Meanwhile, BBC News has posted an infographic that follows in detail the critical moments leading up to and after the Titanic struck the iceberg that sealed its doom at 11.40pm on Sunday 14 April 1912.

Published in Titanic

About the RS21 International One Design Class

The RS21 International One Design Class is a modern keelboat, which promoters say is 'responsibly designed with performance racing at its heart'.

The powerful rig and distinct chines are balanced by well-mannered boat handling and an ergonomic deck layout to ensure everyone on board has a vital role and ease of use.

The RS21 was developed with sustainability at the core of its design, not only in terms of materials but also considering the carbon footprint in the supply chain, a reduction in single-use plastics and a focus on efficient logistics.

The RS21 International One Design Class is growing from strength to strength, with fleets active over three continents and racing calendars that escalate each year, nationally and internationally. "Removing the arms race and ensuring epically close racing in the RS21 is the future of keelboat racing," said class aficionados.