MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Kick off of Africa’s largest family beach event

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Africa’s largest family beach event, the aQuellé Ocean Racing Series, kicks off at Hobie Beach on Sunday morning. The Series, now entering its 10th season is unique to Nelson Mandela Bay and attracts families from around the Eastern Cape on alternate Sunday mornings for some great family fitness fun. Season 10 will comprise of 10 race days concluding on 15th March 2015.

The Series offers 5 separate events each race morning in which family members can take part. For those who prefer to stay on the beach, the Series has the 5km Beach Run, 5km Beach Walk and a 1km Beach Run/Walk for children under the age of 12 years old. The 5km route is a scenic out and back route along the beach between Hobie Beach and the Pipe just past Pollok Beach. The Rotary Club of Port Elizabeth Sunrise host a water table at the turning point.

For the swimmers the Series has the 1km and 2km ocean swim races with the 2km race increasing to 3km in mid-season. For safety reasons, all swimmers have to swim with the aQuellé silicone swim cap and once finished may not re-enter the water onto the swim course.

All events run simultaneously making for an awesome spectacle when viewed from Shark Rock Pier. Events start from 9am and are followed by the kids lucky draw prize giving at 9.45am and the adult prize giving from 10am. Many local companies support the Series through the donation of appealing lucky draw prizes with the feature lucky draw prize being R1,000 cash each race day. All kids in the 1km beach run receive finisher’s medals whilst the adults category age group winners receive medals in the various events. Gareth Burley of Kingfisher FM is the MC for the Series with entries opening at Hobie Beach from 7.30am each race morning.

Currently there is a pre-season registration special of just R100 which includes Series membership of R50, and ORS drawstring bag and Season 10 t-shirt. Series membership is compulsory for the Series with race day entry fees of just R60 for the swims, R40 for the beach events and R30 for the kids 1km run applying on race days. Family and Premier Membership specials are also available.

Online registration is required on www.oceanracingseries.com. News Cafe (Boardwalk) will host a registration function on Friday 10th October between 5.30pm and 8pm where the first 500 pre-registered participants can collect their race packs.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.