Please select your home edition
Edition
RYA Membership

Cape2Rio2020 Ocean Race at Royal Cape Yacht Club first start

by Simone Balman 6 Jan 2020 13:16 GMT 4 January 2020
Cape2Rio2020 Ocean Race - First start © Alec Smith

Years of preparation, dreaming and hard work came to fruition for 13 of the participating Cape2Rio2020 teams, as they took to the blue and rather calm waters of Table Bay, hoisting their sails and embarking on Start One of this adventure of a lifetime, at 14h00 local time on Saturday 4th January 2020.

Family, friends and enthusiasts excitedly gathered in support at the Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) as the teams carried out last minute checks ahead of their departure. The ambiance was rich with anticipation, the crew's desire to get going, palpable.

Formalities had the RCYC Commodore Neil Gregory officially welcome everybody to the club before inviting Race Chairman Luke Scott to introduce the various teams departing in this the cruising category of the event.

Addressing the crowd, Luke noted all the young children collected for the occasion and remarked on how integral they are to the sport of sailing, and to carrying the tradition of the Cape2Rio race forward - hopefully participating in it themselves one day.

This is the 16th edition of the premier ocean sailing event that has been held roughly every 3 years since 1971, with competitors aged between 15 and 75 years among those taking part this year.

An underlying theme among the 2020 competitors is their desire to give back as they go, with many adopting their own cause or fundraising project in a Sail4Good commitment to the ocean, the environment and their chosen sport.

Mayor Dan Plato endorsed the City of Cape Town's support of the event and wished all the sailors a safe passage to Rio de Janeiro, before the fleet was blessed by Padre Tony Bethka.

After that it was the last emotional farewells and enthusiastic waves goodbye as the skippers piloted their vessels and crew out of the marina towards Quay 4 in the V&A Waterfront. Here the public sail-past was met by enthusiastic spectators who'd gathered to see off the boats.

After this, and against the picturesque setting of Table Mountain and Lions' Head that were framed by a clear blue sky, the group of contenders settled in the start area off Mouille Point Lighthouse. A light Westerly wind flicked at the raised sails as they jostled for the best position in anticipation of the start.

By now nerves were heightened, and at 13h50 the horn signalled the final countdown to the race. At 14h00 the time had come to set sail and they were off, with Mojie, San Salvador, Umoya, Argonaut and JM Busha 54 the first yachts around the inshore marker - before running down parallel to the promenade past the waterfront, across the bay to Milnerton Lighthouse, and then heading up the Cape west coast with destination: Rio.

For these racing teams the wait might be over, but the long voyage and work has just begun, as has the course length of approximately 3600 nautical miles. For this fleet, the South Atlantic crossing is estimated to take about three weeks with arrival in Rio de Janeiro towards the end of the month.

Their individual stories and personal goals driving them on cold nights and over big swells, as they go.

Right now they are positioned off the west coast at Elandsbaai, having made slow progress while waiting for stronger southerly winds.

Do track their progress and read more about their respective stories, crews and missions at cape2rio2020.com/entries-2020. Better still connect on Instagram and Facebook and support their significant fundraising efforts.

We look forward to sharing regular updates from the skippers and crews as we follow their race to Rio, and the centenary celebrations of the Iate Clube do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

May 'fair winds and following seas' find them all!

Join us at the Royal Cape Yacht Club on Saturday 11th January 2020 for the Second Start.

Related Articles

50th Anniversary Cape2Rio Race underway
16 boats set sail for Rio de Janeiro A sunny Cape Town provided the perfect backdrop for the Cape2Rio start on Monday 2 January. 16 teams left Royal Cape Yacht Club in a light westerly wind of 10 knots for a 14h00 start just off Granger Bay. Posted on 3 Jan 2023
Cape2Rio 8th entry received - Sadler 32 Cassiopia
A local entry to be skippered by Geoff Sivertsen The Royal Cape Yacht Club and Iate Club do Rio de Janeiro are delighted to have received the entry of Cassiopia for the 2023 Cape to Rio Race. Cassiopia, a Sadler 32, is a local entry and will be skippered by Geoff Sivertsen. Posted on 7 Aug 2021
Youths from RCYC Academy enter Cape2Rio Race 2023
Proud of ongoing efforts to introduce sailing to kids across diversity of South Africa's population After many months of preparation and consideration, the Royal Cape Yacht Club and Iate Club do Rio de Janeiro are proud to announce the receipt of an entry that will be crewed by graduates of the Royal Cape Yacht Club's in-house Sailing Academy. Posted on 1 Jun 2021
Entry open for Cape2Rio Race 2023
The Cape2Rio 2023 Race Office has been hard at work The Cape2Rio 2023 Race Office has been hard at work since October 2020 connecting with sailors who have previously entered the race, Yacht Clubs around the world and most recently our Virtual sailors who took part in the 2021 Virtual Cape2Rio race. Posted on 30 Jan 2021
50th anniversary of Cape2Rio date announced
A blue water dash across the South Atlantic Ocean in 2023 Cape2Rio2023, The Royal Cape Yacht Club, Cape Town South Africa in conjunction with the Iate Club Rio de Janeiro are proud to announce that they will proceed with the running of another edition of this Iconic Ocean Racing Classic. Posted on 3 Oct 2020
LoveWater take line honours in Cape2Rio2020 Race
Maserati's second was not fast enough for a handicap win Maserati needed to finish by 14:26 UTC to hold onto the handicap lead they had held for many days. Sadly for them, they just didn't have enough wind to keep up the exciting charge to the end, and finished 15:39. Posted on 20 Jan 2020
A month to go to Cape2Rio2020 Ocean Race
The lightning-fast Italian 70 foot maxi trimaran Maserati has entered With just a month to go before Table Bay once again bids her formidable farewells to a healthy fleet of twenty-five ocean going yachts on the next Cape to Rio Ocean Race, the various sailing teams and their yachts are arriving from around the world. Posted on 4 Dec 2019
Cape to Rio Hall of Fame lunch with the legends
The race has forged friendships that have lasted for decades On Monday, Cape to Rio 2020 Race Officer John Martin caught up with some very old friends for lunch, one thing that they all have in common besides their passion for the sea is the Cape to Rio Race. Posted on 13 Nov 2019
Maserati shatters Cape to Rio Race record
Giovani Soldini's Volvo 70 two days faster Giovani Soldini's turboed Volvo 70, Maserati finished the Cape to Rio Race in the early hours of Wednesday 15th January 2014 to shatter the course record, which has stood for 14 years. Posted on 15 Jan 2014
Cape to Rio Race day 8
Maserati just 730 miles from Rio de Janeiro Maserati continues her non-stop gallop to Rio de Janeiro with the Trade Winds giving her a very brisk 15 to 20-knot pace. The Italian crew, who cast off from Cape Town (SA) on January 4th, now have just 730 of the 3,300 route left to cover. Posted on 12 Jan 2014