WATER SPORTS
Words: Eben Heunis ǀ Photos: Heinrich Sauer Photography
RACEHARD PLAYHARD
INFLATABLE BOAT RACING ENTHUSIASTS ARE GATHERING STRANDFONTEIN FOR THE START OF THE TRANS ATLANTIC, WHICH IS TAKING PLACE FROM 14 TO 16 MARCH 2014. This three-day racing boat adventure begins at the Olifants River Mouth and stretches all the way to Melkbosstrand, a total distance of 423 km in challenging waters. Inflatable boat racing is one of the most extreme sports there is, so spectators can be assured of an action-packed event.
#35 | DO IT NOW Magazine • 1
AMONG THE TEAMS TAKING PART IN THIS RACE IS TEAM POMULA, WHO IS ENTERING FOR THE FIRST TIME AND AIMING TO COME IN THE TOP THREE OF THE STANDARD CLASS. DESPITE THIS RACE BEING TOUGH AND TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY BY ALL WHO ENTER, IT IS ONE OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE EVENTS ON THE INFLATABLE BOAT CALENDAR. THE TEAMS ARE MUCH MORE INTERACTIVE AT THIS ANNUAL EVENT AND THERE'S A FANTASTIC SOCIAL VIBE, WITH FUNCTIONS HAPPENING EVERY EVENING TO NOT ONLY ENTERTAIN THE CREW AND FAMILIES BUT ALSO GET THE PUBLIC INVOLVED.
2 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #35
The 'Atlantic' as the event is commonly known, is also one of the biggest sea training exercises for the NSRI, where three NSRI stations, namely Melkbosstrand, Yzerfontein and Saldanha (Mykonos) jointly participate and their male and female volunteers get to apply what they train for during the year. The NSRI are responsible for the safety of all the participants during the grueling event.
SUMMER SERIES The Trans Atlantic forms part of the Summer Series. This popular series consists of an East Coast, West Coast and Inland Championship, each with a minimum of six races held throughout the year. Teams race each other in their respected regions to determine the winners. The top four boats from each region and class go on to compete in two national events, which will be held in Mossel Bay and Gariep Dam in February 2015, to determine the Summer Series South African Champions.
Classes There are three classes that compete in the two different events (Surf and Long Haul) of the Summer Series. The first class is the standard outboards, which are called Standard- or Stock class, and is mainly dominated by Tohatsu outboards and pilots that are new to the sport. Make no mistake though; there are also well-seasoned pilots, such as Eben de Bod, Jacques Matthee and Peter Groenenstein, who are to be reckoned with. The second class is the Blueprints- or Pro Stock class and it consists of the true legends of the sport, namely Wimpie Ackerman, who has competed in 22 Trans Agulhas Challenges, and the five-time World Champion Stephan Lindaque, so it's an incredibly exciting class to watch. This class is mainly dominated by Tohatsu outboards, but here
these motor are much more finely tuned and capable of going up to 8,500 rpm with their rev limiters disconnected. The final class is called the Modified class and is usually for the pioneers of the sport and older generation. This class is by far the fastest on flat waters, as there are no limits to what may be done to these outboards. This class is dominated by Yamaha outboards and these motors are so modified that most of them run on jet fuel. Australian Dave Barnett, who has won most of the Trans Agulhas events and is the true front runner of the sport with his modified outboards, is not only the leader in the Modified class but also the man to beat in the Trans Agulhas Challenge. He is known as the fastest man in an inflatable on the water, reaching speeds of up to 110 km/h on flat waters.
www.doitnow.co.za • 3
4 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #35
Surf and Long Haul events The Surf and Long Haul events take place over one weekend every month, with more than 40 boats taking to the water. The nine-lap Surf circuit, usually held on the Saturday, has all three classes battling their way through massive waves to race around buoys that are set out about 1 km from the beach, for the fastest times. Beaches like Mossel Bay, Ysterfontein and Langebaan are just a few locations where these events take place. Then on the Sunday, the Long Haul challenge takes place and is where boats race over 140 km a day and stop at beaches along the way. All classes participate and start together. All the boats, irrespective of class, participate and start together but are timed according to their class.
THE SUMMER SERIES IS TRULY A GREAT SERIES TO COMPETE IN AND WHERE THE DIFFERENT CLASSES ARE HAND-PICKED TO REPRESENT SOUTH AFRICA AT THE INFLATABLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, WHICH IS USUALLY HELD OVERSEAS IN COUNTRIES LIKE GERMANY IN MID SEPTEMBER.
www.doitnow.co.za • 5
TRANS AGULHAS Also forming part of the Summer Series is the Trans Agulhas Challenge, known as the world's toughest inflatable boat challenge. It starts every year on 28 December at Plettenberg Bay, and is where man and machine are pushed to their absolute limits, and often beyond. With more than 60 inflatable boats battling it out on the waves, this prestigious five-day race visits beaches along one of the most dangerous coastlines in the world - between Nature's Valley and Strand, where the race finishes on 1 January. The 2013/2014 edition of the Trans Agulhas Challenge saw Team Pomula taking part in this gruelling race for the first time. I teamed up with a new and very eager co-pilot, Jannie Visser, who has grown up in a well-known inflatable boat racing
6 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #35
family (his father Jannie Visser and uncle Louis Visser raced years ago and were known as the ‘Brothers’. Preparing for such an iconic and challenging race was no easy feat. For us, it all started in mid August 2013 when we secured a new and very exciting sponsor, Imbuko Wines, to back our team for the 2013/2014 Summer Series and 2013/2014 Trans Agulhas Challenge. Co-founder and Managing Director Theunis van Zyl, who has been part of the wine industry for 20 years, participated in three Trans Agulhas Challenges back in the days when there were more than 70 boats competing and he's been up against the likes of the renowned Mark Louw. Today, he is still eager to be part of this amazing sport and it is great for us to have a sponsor that understands and shares our passion for the sport.
AS PART OF OUR PREPARATION, WE DECIDED TO CHANGE BOATS AND BOUGHT ONE OF THE NEWEST AQUARIUS INFLATABLE BOATS DESIGNED AND BUILT BY THE LEGENDARY ROWAN HAWKS, FROM AQUARIUS INFLATABLE, A TRUE AMBASSADOR FOR THIS EXCITING SPORT. WE WERE ALSO INTRODUCED TO THE FIVE-TIME WORLD CHAMPIONS STEPHAN LINDEQUE AND TONY IMGRAM, SPONSORED BY NULANDIS, WHO OFFERED TO HELP US SET UP THE BOAT AND TRAIN IN OUR LOCAL WATERS OF MELKBOS.
With our brand new equipment set up, training kicked off at the end of August. Our morning sessions consisted of flat waters to do setup, where we ran from Melkbos to Green Point and back. The afternoons were when the 'real' training happened, to prepare for the 760 kilometres that waited for us in just a few months. Following the same route in the morning and afternoon, the afternoons also brought with it the well-known Cape Town south-easter, which pumped and made the water all the more challenging to both our equipment and bodies, pushing us to the limits. By the beginning of December, we started planning the routes and gathering the ground crew that would support our two teams over the five treacherous days. By 26 December, we were as ready as we would ever be and set off for Mossel Bay on 27 December. It was truly an amazing and exciting feeling to be at this event, the biggest on the inflatable boat racing calendar. It was awesome to see big sponsors getting involved and how professional every team looked.
www.doitnow.co.za • 7
8 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #35
WE SET SAIL ON 28 DECEMBER 2013 AND THE NEXT FIVE DAYS WERE EVERYTHING WE HAD EXPECTED AND MORE - AND WE REALISED WHY THIS COASTLINE IS RATED AS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS COASTLINES IN THE WORLD. TEAM POMULA FINISHED IN SIXTH PLACE OVERALL AND THIRD IN THE 'KING OF THE WAVES' IN THE STANDARD CLASS. THE TEAM OF STEPHAN LINDEQUE AND TONY IMGRAM FINISHED SECOND OVERALL IN BOTH EVENTS IN THE BLUEPRINT CLASS. I AM HONOURED TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT I AM ONE OF JUST A HANDFUL OF INDIVIDUALS TO HAVE FINISHED THIS AMAZING AND ENDURING RACE.
www.doitnow.co.za • 9
I would like to thank my amazing sponsors Imbuko Wines (Pomula) and Theunis van Zyl for all their support and guidance, as well as Rowan Hawks for his support, and Heinrich Sauer for all the incredible photographs taken during the year and for being a great ambassador of the sport. This event was made all the more memorable due to the hard work and efforts of the organisers and I am looking forward to being a part of this iconic race in the years to come.
BUT FOR NOW, OUR SIGHTS ARE SET ON THE TRANS ATLANTIC AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE 2014/2015 TRANS AGULHAS CHALLENGE. • For more information: * Summer Series - www.saiba.co.za * Aquarius Inflatables - www.aquariusinflatables.co.za * Imbuko Wines - www.imbuko.co.za
10 • DO IT NOW Magazine | #35
www.doitnow.co.za • 11
SUUNTO AMBIT 2 THE GPS FOR EXPLORERS AND ATHLETES
Navigation, weather conditions, GPS corrected barometric altitude, speed, distance, heart rate and more. Advanced features for running, biking and swimming, including Bike Power, Fused Speed™ and superior swimming features Thousands of downloadable Suunto Apps available to add new capabilities to your watch, including sunrise/sunset, tide information and storm alarm
SUUNTO AMBIT2 S THE GPS FOR ATHLETES
GPS based speed (Fused Speed™), pace, distance and altitude Preconfigured multisport modes Compatible with ANT+ power meters Bike Power – average and maximum Route navigation – navigate through routes easily on the device Swimming pace and distance, time by pool length, lap and total 1000+ free downloadable Suunto Apps for outdoor and training
Ultimo, Marlin House, Norbuy Office Park, 372 Rivonia Boulevard, Rivonia info@ultimo.co.za; (011) 785 4700