Atalanta Returns for the 2025 Cape2Rio Race

When purchasing a yacht with a pedigree like Atalanta’s—having won the most recent Cape2Rio Race single-handed in 2023 skippered by previous owner, Adrian Kuttel — the new owner, Heye Daun, certainly has big shoes to fill. Together with accomplished Cape Town based sailor Theo Yon as co-skipper, the double-handed team will give it their best in this iconic downwind dash from Cape Town to Rio.

Clearly, she remains in capable hands. Heye’s maiden race aboard Atalanta was the Cape to St Helena Race last year, where she finished a resounding 2nd Overall and claimed Line Honours, sailing three-up in this nine-day adventure.

Now, Heye and Theo have their sights set on a new challenge — completing the Cape2Rio Race double-handed. Theo Yon is a competitive and very well acquainted double-handed sailor and this Cape2Rio Race marks his fourth participation. Theo also knows Atalanta intimately, having delivered her home from both Rio and St Helena, and winning the Mossel Bay Race aboard her in 2021. Heye and Theo are bound to make a great double handed duo.

Atalanta is a JPK 10.30, a French-designed and well-proven boat designed for short-handed sailing which has been doing well in international double-handed competitions, having won the Baltic 500 in 2022 and having excelled in a string of other ocean races. Despite only 30 feet in boat length, she will no doubt be a strong contender for silverware in this year’s Cape2Rio Race.