Here in Cape Town we’ve seen a whole lot of sailing action recently what with the Volvo Ocean Race’s first leg ending here earlier this month. And now a new sailing event, the Portimão Global Ocean Race, is bringing more ocean adventurers to our shores – the first arriving in the Mother City yesterday.
The Portimão is a short hand race for one or two sailors racing in Open 40s – a class of fast 40-foot racing yachts – that goes around the world, starting and ending at Portimão (Portugal).
The course runs as follows
- First Leg: Portimão - Cape Town, RSA
- Second Leg: Cape Town – Wellington, New Zealand
- Third Leg: Wellington – Ilhabela (tropical island off Brazil)
- Fourth Leg: Ilhabela – Charleston (USA)
- Fifth Leg: Charleston – Portimão
There are six of these yachts taking part in this year’s event which is sure to grow in numbers in the coming years.
First to make it to Cape Town was Belgian solo sailor Michael Kleinjans on his craft Roaring Forty . Next due in is the oldest participating sailor, 69 year old Nic Budel, is expected to arrive in Cape Town Friday.
To follow the race more closely head on to the official Portimão Global Ocean Race website where you can subscribe by RSS feed, get regularly updated news, follow the course and download podcasts.
