Blaauwberg House

The challenging and extreme 7,5km Cadiz Freedom Swim from Robben Island to Big Bay in Blouberg will be taking place on this Sunday, May 2 2010.

Since it takes place in the chilly and often treacherous and shark-infested waters of the Atlantic (which is around 13 degrees Celsius), the event is widely considered to be among the most exciting sea swim races in the world, and entries from all over the globe have already poured in.

Among the 365 swimmers that will be participating in this year’s event will be local shark attack survivor and disabled swimming champion Achmat Hassiem. The 27-year old swimmer lost a foot in a shark attack four years ago off Muizenberg. Twenty seven of the participants are from overseas.

The winning male and female swimmer will each take home a cool R15 000, with the total prize purse being valued at R87 000. No doubt that everyone will deserve their prizes, because solo swimmers are only allowed to wear regulation costumes, caps and goggles, thus braving possible hypothermia.

The swim will be taking place from 10am to 3pm.

Bloubergstrand’s Big Bay recently played host to the 2009 Oxbow Big Bay Classic. Known as the most outstanding windsurfing event in Africa, it annually attracts top riders from around the world to compete in two windsurfing disciplines: the IFCA Slalom World Championships and the WSA Open Wave Championships.

Oxbow Big Bay Classic World Championship Windsurfing

From 5 to 10 January, over 40 local and international competitors, including South African slalom stars Peter Lumley, Cameron Bruce and Mark Durham, battled it out against Great Britain’s Ross William’s, Italy’s Alberto Menegati, France’s Benoit Moussilmani and Belgium’s Wolfgang Verlaeckt.

It is no surprise that Big Bay is the chosen venue for this world class event. Consistent summer winds sweeping across the bay makes this arguably the best windsurfing spot in the world!

So the fact that the famous Cape Doctor wind took its sweet time to show up during this year’s event was merely a fluke. When it finally did arrive about four days into the event, it made for a spectacular show. Ben Van der Steen from the Netherlands secured the World Title slalom. But it was the last jump in the wave final, in which Great Britain’s Phil Horrocks set a double forward, that secured him the overall victory in the 2009 Open African Championships. Matthew Swart performed the best among the South African men, ending up in fifth place.

The South African women did exceptionally well, taking the top three spots in the ladies wave. Natasha Petersmann won, Katja Streih came in second place, and third place was tied between Sam Smithson and Maria Lyness-Bosing.