Cape Town September 2022 – Cape2Rio2023 welcomes new entry SV Felix to the iconic race
“Seeking adventure by crossing the Atlantic and being able to participate in a half a century of tradition of the Cape to Rio race fulfils two bucket list items”, says Andrew Mitchell about his Cape2Rio 2023 entry on Felix. “It enables us to at least experience a small part of the challenge (and pleasure) that the early sailors must have endured crossing the ocean in their sturdy vessels without the benefit of modern-day technology.”
Felix brings the number of entries in the iconic Cape2Rio race to 20. Jennifer Burger, Race Administrator, reports that entries are picking up pace and urges current entries to submit any outstanding paperwork.
Johann Brits (the co-skipper and navigator) and Andrew Mitchell have raced offshore together for some years now. They did well in the Cape to St Helena in 2018 and some of the local offshore races.
Dave Brits, who is Johann’s son and an artist, also competed in the Cape to St Helena race with them and proved to be an exceptional helmsman. As an artist his work includes printmaking, drawing, video and “public-scale sculpture”. Brits has created sculptural pieces for the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, the Spier Arts Trust and the Iziko South African National Gallery. Emilie Gambade reports in the Daily Maverick that Brits was one of the winners of the inaugural Social Impact Arts Prize and for the Imaginarium series, the young artist selected observational pen sketches drawn during his first sailing trip across the Atlantic Ocean.
Bringing on a feminine touch is Jacqui Hackett, mother of two girls, who is straight out of the Good Hope Sailing Academy stable. This will be her first offshore race and her enthusiasm and energy will be welcomed aboard.
Peter Loram brings the humour to the race, and the experience of having crossed the Atlantic in 2009. Graham Gordon is the fisherman, mechanic and go-to-guy for practical solutions.
SV Felix has undergone an electrical refit and had a windlass installed to avoid complaints about hauling up the anchor in Brazil. The whole team contributed to
getting Felix ready for the race and look forward to enjoying champagne, Caipirinha’s and the Samba, in that order, as the Rio Carnival starts just after their arrival.
Enquiries
- Jennifer Burger, Cape2Rio Race Administrator, RCYC, cape2rio@rcyc.co.za or +27 21 421 1354
