South African Yacht Takes Third At Cape2Rio

Teamwork and the wind make for a smooth sail!

Last Updated: 18 January 2017

South African contestant, Lion of Africa Vulcan, finished third in the 2017 Cape2Rio presented by Maserati.

The Cape Town-based yacht is the first South African boat to complete the 2017 edition of the prestigious and iconic event. Vulcan completed the Atlantic crossing on Monday, 16 January 2017. The team was placed third after crossing the line seven hours after the Peruvian yacht, Black Pearl.

“We are elated to see our local friends and heroes finishing third at the Cape2Rio,” said Vitor Medina. Medina is the Commodore of the Royal Cape Yacht Club, host of the Cape2Rio and home base to the Lion of Africa Vulcan yacht.

The crew of Lion of Africa Vulcan.| Image Credit: Sports24

The Commodore praised co-owner and co-skipper, Hylton Hale, and his crew after their journey on the yacht. “Hylton and his crew sailed impressively and we can’t wait to share in their triumph once they are back in Cape Town.”

Vulcan’s result is particularly impressive when considering that the yacht is not designed for ocean crossings. The yacht had to be fitted with numerous components to ensure its safety on the open ocean.

Shaun Pammenter, Vulcan’s meteorologist, says that the key to their Cape2Rio success was working to the strengths of the yacht. “We have a very quick downwind yacht, so right from the start, we wanted to get into downwind conditions as quickly as possible.”

The team achieved that by setting out on a northerly course from Cape Town.

The real challenge came 10 days into the race when they experienced light wind. This did not weaken the crew, though, the teamwork was outstanding. There were no fights or quarrels; everyone pulled together brilliantly to make the race successful.

By Garth Prins

Source Credit: Cape2Rio.com | News24

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Want to read more on prestigious and iconic events? Check out the upcoming Sun Met Horse Race.

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