Inhaca yacht race back on the ocean

Preparations are well under way for the annual Inhaca Yacht Race, which will take place on 15-17 April.

Now in its 30th instalment, the race had to be cancelled in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the global shutdown caused by the Covid pandemic.

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The only annual international yacht race to be held in South Africa, it is a gruelling test of endurance, offering sailors 220 nautical miles of open ocean race for both racing and cruising yachts.

The route runs from the Inhaca lighthouse to the entrance of the Richards Bay harbour and the current record for fastest passage is under 24 hours.

While this year does indeed have its challenges as the world begins to open up, officials have been hard at work to make sure the race takes place with as few difficulties as possible, against the many new regulations that have complicated inter-border travel.

So far, five yachts have confirmed entry for the race, of which one is the international yacht ‘Seascape’, skippered by Robin Lavery.

Zululand local Angela Harding is the only female skipper entered, and looks forward to taking to the water with her Lavranos 41, ‘Amber 1’.

Hope is that there will be a few more late entries before the flag falls on the morning of Friday, 15 April.

Zululand Yacht Club rear commodore for sailing, Clinton Gauld, said he was looking forward to the race happening as it was one of the many events that have suffered over the last two years.

‘It is ZYC’s flagship event for the year, and a race rich in historical significance for the region, and we look forward to being able to host our intrepid sailors once more.’

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