Wits sailors back at home

by | Mar 13, 2014 | Sport

MEMORIES MADE: Team members (from left to right) Alexa Brown, Alistair Moodie and Patrick Chappel share a lighthearted moment as they view a slideshow of their experience. Photo: Tracey Ruff

MEMORIES MADE: Team members (from left to right) Alexa Brown, Alistair Moodie and Patrick Chappel share a lighthearted moment as they watch a slideshow of their experiences. Photo: Tracey Ruff

From subliminal sunsets at sea to late-night samba parties, the Wits Cape 2 Rio sailing team have experienced it all in just a few short months.

The team finished 6th in one of the world’s most gruelling yacht races and was officially welcomed back to home turf  by the Wits Yacht Club this past week.

Getting raucous in Rio

“We took Rio, smashed it in its face [and] ripped it to shreds,” joked Alistair Moodie, who was the watch captain on board. The team spoke of their experiences through a slide show at the welcome party and even brought along their CapetoRio trinkets to show off.

Patrick Chappel, bowman on the yacht, was no less emphatic: “To pull it off and really accomplish it … [Cape 2 Rio] is the longest ocean-crossing race in the world … it’s a huge accomplishment.”

Wits deputy vice-chancellor (finance and operations), Professor Tawana Kupe was glowing in his praise of the team’s achievement: “It confirms one thing; [their achievement] gives Wits the edge. Wits was the only university in the race and we came sixth and won a medal. [The team] definitely did Wits proud. It is an inspirational performance.”

The Wits Cape 2 Rio team was the only student team in this year’s race and the first Wits team to race in the competition since 1984.

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Witsies sail in sixth in Cape to Rio

by | Feb 6, 2014 | Sport

WITSIES ON THE FINISH LINE: The Amtec Wits team is pictured on their arrival in Rio last Tuesday. Photo: Google+

WITSIES ON THE FINISH LINE: The Amtec Wits team is pictured on their arrival in Rio last Tuesday. Photo: Google+

The Wits Yacht Club has been placed sixth in the overall Cape to Rio 2014 race after an epic 23 days at sea.

This is the first time since 1984 that a Wits team participated in the prestigious sailing competition. The Amtec Wits crew was made up  of seven Wits students, who set sail on January 4 this year and arrived in Rio on Tuesday night, January 28, nearly a month later. Team Wits was one of 37 teams in this year’s competition. 

The team comprised: Brennan Robinson, Skipper Bradley Robinson, Ricardo de Carvalho, Alistair Moodie, Patrick Chappel, Alexa Brown and Stuart Purchase.

The team started raising funds to set sail on the Amtec Wits Aladdin  boat as early as June of last year, through their own fundraising efforts. Aladdin, the boat used by the team was loaned to them for the race.

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