MyPE

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

Traditional welcome for Anna of The Ocean Race technical team

By

Anna
Dear Anna, Remember that those dots signify that you will give back…. No Pressure.
A traditional welcome for Anna from The Ocean Race technical team visiting Nelson Mandela Bay to assess the city for the 2021 race. #sailing #portelizabeth #alsnstraton #mype #theoceanrace2021 – Taken by the Editor whilst wandering aimlessly about pretending to be in the know.
 
A high level team from the Ocean Race is currently assessing bidders from South Africa vying to host stopovers in their cities. Cape Town has hosted the stopover since the 1980’s when the Ocean Race was first branded as the Whitbread, then as the Volvo Ocean Race and now as just the Ocean Race.
 
The MyPE Editor has been lobbying the city for many years to bid to host this prestigious event which has a strong sustainability and legacy component, along with being one of the Top Two most watched and followed events on the international sailing calendar. For close on 9 months competitors sail around the world on yachts that are all the same.
 
Mixed male and female crews battle it out and look forward to the Southern Ocean Leg – one of the most treacherous legs of the race and one that every sailor in the world desperately wants to do. But, only a few are chosen.
 
Port Elizabeth is making a compelling bid and, in partnership with TNPA have suggested an ideal area within the Port of Port Elizabeth that offers one homogeneous area 15 000 square metres in extent and that creates a stadium effect that will showcase the yachts for all visitors to see.
 
Coupled with that the area chosen will help to showcase the incredible work done on the Inner City and Route 67.
 
Imagine the Campanile Bells playing the National Anthem, water being thrown over the Yachts by the Port Tugs as they finish the long leg to Port Elizabeth!
 
I have a dream – a selfish one, but a dream nonetheless: I want to see another Olympic Sailor from the Eastern Cape sail in the Olympics just like our son of Fort Beaufort, Asenathi Jim.
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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.