MyPE

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

David Witt

Will Witty Win?

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Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag skipper Dave Witt says the next 24 hours are the most vital of Leg 4 as they close in on an historic victory in their home town of Hong Kong. Witt’s crew were sitting almost 100 nautical miles in front of their closest rivals Vestas 11th Hour Racing on Wednesday with just 840 miles to the finish line. Despite the healthy buffer, Hong Kong is still 36 hours away, and Scallywag’s experienced sailors know better than to start celebrating just yet. To get to the … [Read more...] about Will Witty Win?

Scallywag’s Gough Washed Overboard

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Scallywag continues to race towards home in Hong Kong, leading the fleet west in well-established trade wind conditions. At 0700 UTC on Sunday morning, skipper David Witt's team was leading by about 20 miles over team AkzoNobel and Dongfeng Race Team in terms of distance to finish. But on the water, the Scallywags are about 70 miles further west, and 100 miles to the south of the their closest opposition. Although their advantage remains solid, the past 24 hours haven't been without … [Read more...] about Scallywag’s Gough Washed Overboard

From Last to First for Witty and Gang

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Following one of the longest and most painful doldrums crossings in memory, the Volvo Ocean Race fleet is now in the northeast trade winds and speeding towards the finish line in Hong Kong, some 2,700 nautical miles to the northwest. The fleet finds itself in three distinct groupings, with Dongfeng Race Team leading team AkzoNobel and Vestas 11th Hour Racing in the northernmost triumvirate. And it’s in the north where the stronger winds should be as the northeasterly trades winds get … [Read more...] about From Last to First for Witty and Gang

It’d be catastrophic if we come home last

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The Volvo Ocean Race fleet was buoyed by the arrival of new breeze on Thursday, potentially spelling an end to several days of torment at the hands of the Doldrums. The seven teams hit the Doldrums – a fickle band of low pressure notorious for its calm wind – on Monday, and since then have been inching north at painfully slow speeds in sweltering tropical heat. But on the ninth day of racing, with almost exactly 3,000 nautical miles remaining of the 6,000-mile stage from Melbourne to Hong … [Read more...] about It’d be catastrophic if we come home last

“I got that one completely wrong,” admits David

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Four days into Leg 4 the Volvo Ocean Race fleet was starting to compress again – with overall race leaders MAPFRE rapidly rising through the rankings and closing guage with the leaders. Skipper Xabi Fernandez spoke on Thursday about plenty of opportunities to improve on MAPFRE’s fifth position, nearly 40 nautical miles adrift of the leading duo of Dongfeng Race Team and team AkzoNobel – and by Friday the Spanish crew had rocketed into third. Having opted to hug the Australian coastline for … [Read more...] about “I got that one completely wrong,” admits David

How a ‘Rookie’ feels helming a VOR65

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On Wednesday 6 December 2017 I was privileged enough to sail on the Volvo Ocean Race entrant, Sun Hung Kai Scallywag in the shake down practice race after esential maintenance. At the helm was Australian Skipper, David 'Witty' Witt - a veteran of more than 20 Sydney Hobart races and skipper of the 100 foot Superyacht, Scallywag. Witt was introduced to the Volvo over 20 years ago and this larger than life Aussie bloke has an obsession around team work and a disdain for the rock stars. In … [Read more...] about How a ‘Rookie’ feels helming a VOR65

I pose with a subject for only the THIRD time in my life. The ‘lucky person’ this time…

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I pose with a subject for only the THIRD time in my life. The 'lucky person' this time around was David 'Witty' Witt - the skipper of Sun Hung Kai Scallywag taking part in the #volvooceanrace practise race in #capetown AND I got to play skipper after the race all the way back to port. David Kindly enough refused my offer of an appendage in grateful thanks from myself. We came 5th in the Winward Leeward race after two general recalls and a not so pleasing third start. In case you are wondering … [Read more...] about I pose with a subject for only the THIRD time in my life. The ‘lucky person’ this time…

David Witt at the helm

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David Witt at the helm of Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag ahead of the start of the Volvo Ocean Race Practice Race in #capetown #volvooceanrace #mype - Taken by the Editor whilst wandering aimlessly about pretending to be in the know. BONUS: David Witt in probably the most awesome sailing video you will ever watch! … [Read more...] about David Witt at the helm