PYC to compete in the Vasco da Gama race

“I LOVE the freedom of being out on the water with my friends.” These are the words of Queensburgh sailor, Brendan Humphreys,when asked what he most enjoyed about sailing. He is usually the helmsman of the yacht Container World, an L26 sailed solely by scholars.

Humphreys has been selected as part of the team which will be racing in the blue water ocean race, the Vasco da Gama Race. The long distance race starts in Durban and heads down to Port Elizabeth. The matric student will be part of the team competing on the L34, PYC Dusky. He will be sailing with the Commodore of Point Yacht Club, Craig Millar, who has many miles of experience under his belt, including being the skipper for the Durban entry in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in 2005/6.

“Vasco will be my first long distance race. I decided to join the team because I wanted to experience what a long distance race would be like and I will definitely be doing more blue water sailing. I am also doing it to get more miles so I can progress further with my skipper’s license,” he explained.

“After school, I haven’t decided exactly what I’m wanting to do but it will certainly involve sailing. Currently sailing is only a sport for me, but I don’t have many hobbies outside of school. With all the demands of school, sailing is my escape, my hobby and also my extra-curriculum so I am lucky.”

“I got into sailing when I was younger when my dad purchased a Halcat which is a small catamaran and then I joined the sailing team once I got to Glenwood. I have sailed dinghies but I prefer to sail keelboats and being offshore. My best memory is when we were doing a race offshore, we had dolphins following the boat and playing in the wake,” said Humphreys.

Ahead of the 470NM race to Port Elizabeth, the newly announced PYC Dusky team are still working out their roles, “Sailing has taught me leadership skills and responsibility, as

well as how to work as a team. I am hoping to take the helm with Craig but in all honesty, I would be delighted to fill any role to get as much experience as possible.”

“My dad is also going to be competing in the race, sailing on the boat Skitzo. He started sailing competitively again last year at the MSC Regatta. He had been doing a bit of sailing before that. It’s great that we are both doing the race, there actually isn’t any family rivalry we are both really just looking forward to sailing it,” he added.

Described as a quiet, reserved young lad, the matric student from Glenwood High School was announced as one of the team members on PYC Dusky who will be competing in one of the toughest ocean races in Africa, the Vasco da Gama Race hosted by Point Yacht Club, which starts in Durban on Saturday, 23 April.

For more infomation, like the Vasco da Gama Facebook page or visit www.pyc.co.za.