Seven yachts line up for Vasco race

DESCRIBED by many as the Comrades Marathon of the ocean, the Vasco da Gama race is due to get underway on Freedom Day on Thursday, 27 April.

A small but feisty fleet of seven yachts will line up for the 46th annual event and race across 400NM of blue ocean to Port Elizabeth. Four boats withdrew in the week leading up to the race, including defending champion Al Mount Gay Rum, skippered by Rob van Rooyen.

Three Durban boats are all geared up and ready to tackle this gruelling experience. Robin Hulley, a newcomer to ocean racing, was the seventh entry received. Hulley will be racing on his Bavaria 36, Mafuta. He has been a regular competitor in all offshore racing.

One of only a handful of skippers to be participating in his third back-to-back Vasco, Neville Bransby has been hard at work training in all conditions and getting in as much water time as possible. Bransby will proudly skipper his new boat, Ocean Spirit, a Shearwater 39.

In his first attempt at the race in 2015, Bransby and his crew on their Lavranos 36, Deo Volante, did not make the passage. Last year he had a good race and indicated immediately that he would be back this year.

Returning this year after he completed the first Vasco da Gama Ocean race to Port Elizabeth in 2015 is Jon Marshall.

He will sail the PYC Watersport Academy boat, PYC Dusky, a Corrida 36. Marshall is a adept at ocean racing and has competed in most events and in 2015 won the Inhaca to Richards Bay Race.

The start gun will fire at midday on Thursday 27 April, seeing a small but keen fleet setting sail in this classic and historic ocean race, the 46th Vasco da Gama hosted by Point Yacht Club.

Do you want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5409.

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.