2016 Mossel Bay Race Preview: South Africa's Oldest Offshore Race
by Louay Habib 27 Sep 2016 23:25 BST
29 September 2016
Xtra-Link will be providing state of the art satellite tracking for the 2016 Mossel Bay Race © Xtra-Link
- Organised by the False Bay Yacht Club and Mossel Bay Yacht and Boat Club
- Course: Simonstown - Mossel Bay. South Atlantic – Indian Ocean (210 nm)
- Start: Thursday 29 September 2016
Rounding one of the world's famous Capes is on the bucket list of many sailors. This year the 2016 Mossel Bay Race is likely to have a record entry with 39 yachts competing under Club Class and IRC Rating Rules. The first Mossel Bay Race was run in 1955, and it is the first true ocean race in South Africa. The 210 nautical mile race takes the fleet from Simonstown on the Western Cape, around the notorious Cape Agulhas, and on to the finish at Mossel Bay, Western Cape Province.
Cape Agulhas marks the southern tip of the African continent, dividing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The sea off Cape Agulhas is notorious for winter storms and mammoth rogue waves. Strong easterly winds of the roaring forties, combine with the cold Antarctic Current. These enormous natural forces can come up against the warmer Agulhas Current and a westerly wind in the region of Cape Agulhas, forming extremely hazardous sea conditions.
'Ted' Kuttel, a RORC member for over 40 years and the patron of the Mossel Bay Race, is a ardent supporter of Offshore Racing in South Africa, he believes that this event will become the premier IRC event in South Africa.
Mossel Bay Race Chairman and avid IRC Racing competitor, Dale Kushner, will be taking part, racing his Sunfast 3200 Xtra-Link Yolo in the Two Handed Class.
"The Race rounds Cape Agulhas, one of the three "great capes" of the world. The others being, Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn." commented Dale. "The race employs very high safety standards and all yachts are scrutinised to ensure they comply with those rules. Looking at the fleet it is highly likely that new records will be set. I will be racing with Ian Coward, we have been racing together for 27 years, and we have both done this course on numerous occasions. The Mossel Bay Race will be our qualifier for the Cape to Rio Race later in the year, and it will be excellent practice for that."
Mossel Bay Race sponsor, Xtra-Link, will be providing state of the art satellite tracking for the fleet. Race fans can watch the race unfold by visiting their new satellite tracking platform at www.mosselbayrace.co.za