Cape2Rio2020 Ocean Race: #Sail4Good and the Freedom Sail Round Robben Island

Freedom Sail - Cape2Rio2020 Ocean Race © cape2rio2020.com

The Cape2Rio2020 Ocean Race supports positive and constructive efforts to improve and assist a broad spectrum of causes close to the hearts and minds of competitors and race supporters, by using the race as a platform to showcase and promote good.

The upcoming Freedom Sail Round Robben Island is intended to be a platform to introduce and showcase all of these projects. All boats [sail; motor; paddle] are invited and welcome to join the Freedom Armada, starting from Granger Bay at noon on 16 December 2019.

#SAIL4GOOD is a Cape2Rio2020 initiative where entrants that align with and support a charity or cause of their choice, by raising awareness and/or funds, will be actively showcased on the Cape2Rio2020 #SAIL4GOOD race portal. There are already some entrants that are aligned with this initiative. It is a simple and positive investment in social, environmental and cultural upliftment. One cannot help but be enthusiastic about it!

Sailing combines diversity, adventure and adrenaline; and unites people with different backgrounds, in and around our sport. The common bond is that we are all connected by the team spirit and passion for sailing. Sailing is a lifelong sport, and can be enjoyed by all, given the opportunity. Since 1971, the Cape to Rio Race has connected two continents and many nations in an adventure across the Atlantic Ocean. Special lifelong bonds are formed between sailors from many cultures and nationalities. When we all work together to achieve a common goal, one starts to feel the true team spirit.

This year, we have twenty five entries, with boats carrying the flags of at least ten countries. The competing crews represent many more counties, and while the sailors may have different motivations to enter - some want to win, whilst others want to merely tick off this adventure of a lifetime on their bucket list - they all want to sail safely to Rio!

Besides personal goals for the race, we are also able to use the high profile of the race to attract corporate and private support and commitment to address local and global issues. In addition to South Africa and Brazil having multiple economic and societal challenges, the oceans are also increasingly affected by pollution. The goal of contributing to a better planet through raising awareness and funds can [and will!] be achieved through this race. A number of the competing crews have already committed to supporting a charity project of their choice.

The diversity of the entrants is reflected in the range of selected charity projects. This is an evolving story, but this is what we know so far:

• Inspired by the 'Sailors for the Seas' campaign, team Umoya challenges all the other race competitors with their 'Save our Soles' project. The project confronts the excessive accumulation of plastic in the ocean of about 8 million tons a year. Umoya requests all crews to collect all of their plastic waste in so-called "Ecobricks" during the regatta. It means that any plastic waste should be collected in PET bottles. It saves up to five times more space and creates awareness of the excessive plastic production. Incidentally, Northern Light is committing to be "plastic free" in term of single use plastic.

• Love Water supports water as the most important resource with their project 'Win With Water'. Sailing and other water sports are mostly in touch with the pollution and shortage of it. A human can survive for at most four days without water. Cape Town knows from experience what it's like being without one of the most important natural resources. Besides their tough goal to cross the Atlantic Ocean within 8 days, they want to motivate people to conserve water as a priority. Their team stands for mutual love of racing and sustainability.

• Indulgence are sailing in support of the 'National Sea Rescue Institute. Indulgence has made a journey from the Vaal Dam, over 500 km inland from the sea. Indulgence has started an online fund-raising campaign specifically for NSRI Station 22: Vaal Dam. The NSRI prevents drowning by education, preventative measures and rescue to 'save lives, change lives and create futures'.

• JM BUSHA 54 SAILING TEAM - '#iampeace' is the campaign of one of the youngest competing crews sailing this year. The campaign supports peace and unity in Africa for people of different backgrounds. The crew have already experienced it themselves what it is like to sail with personalities of different origins. The sport lets us experience bonhomie and camaraderie and everybody deserves to experience it as well.

• Tam Tam are sailing in support of CANSA - the Cancer Association of South Africa. The 5 crew are racing to Rio and delivering the boat back to Cape Town. They will sail over 7000 miles in their support of CANSA. Skipper Jasper van der Westhuisen knows what this battle is about, having lost an arm to survive cancer - and he wants to inspire survivors to follow their dreams, as he is doing.

• Almagores II are proudly supporting the Theodora Children's Charity, which believes all children deserve laughter. The mission at the heart of their work is to contribute to the wellbeing of children in hospitals, hospices and specialist care centres by providing visits from professional performers who have been trained to work in a medical environment. Showing their continuity and commitment, Almagores II also sailed the ARC Rally in 2016 in support of Theodora.

• Saravah are sailing in support of Marine Inspirations, a charitable mentoring program established to introduce the prospects of a maritime career to youngsters from disadvantaged or less-advantaged backgrounds.

We warmly invite all entrants, their families and supporters, and indeed all spectators of the race, to actively support the #SAIL4GOOD platform, by supporting these innovative projects. We will provide details of how to support them in due course.

Let's make our world a better one!

Cape2Rio2020 has two starts. The smaller/slower boats start at 14h00 4 January 2020. The bigger/faster boats start at 14h00 11 January 2020. The prize-giving is in Rio on 2 February 2020.