At the Global Challenge Public Open Day yesterday, SAIC La Jolla beat Team Shosholoza, South Africa’s America’s Cup Team, in dragon boat racing!

Crowds of people turned up throughout the day, including many school children to take a look round one of the yachts and witness some heavy competition out on the water.

Jim Allen, reporter for Challenge Business explains: “After heats throughout the afternoon between the crews, the final came down to SAIC La Jolla taking on a combined Spirit of Sark / Samsung alliance. Very quickly SAIC La Jolla settled into a steady rhythm and pulled away to a convincing victory. They then rose to the challenge of taking on Team Shosholoza, and although the local team had a significant weight and power advantage, SAIC La Jolla took an early start, settled into their rhythm and then held off the professionals all the way!”

This is the second time that Team Shosholoza have been involved with the Global Challenge during the Leg Four stopover. They lent a helping hand by providing their base for the technical team Me to You to repair the spreader bracket of their mast.

Cape Town is in full swing with Leg Five starting at 1400 this Sunday (1 May 2005). The corporate sailing kicks off the week followed by a series of activities, events and celebrations. This includes the grand Leg Four Official Prize Giving on Thursday night at the Rickety Bridge Vineyard where crews will be able to let their hair down for one last time before the longest leg from Cape Town to Boston starts.

The yachts are due to arrive in Boston around the 6 June 2005. The race restart in Boston is the 19 June before a sprint across the Atlantic to La Rochelle, with an ETA around the 4 July. The yachts’ final leg will be a short dash across the Channel to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth where the Challenge yachts are due to arrive in on the 16 July 2005.