MAC 24 Hour Challenge 2024 at Milnerton Aquatic Club, Cape Town - Overall
by Mark Algra 29 Mar 09:45 UTC
23-24 March 2024
The Horn sounded at 12 noon on Saturday 23 March at Milnerton Aquatic Club and Rietvlei came alive with 21 sailing dinghies crossing the start line and racing towards the first mark in this year's 24 Hour event.
21 teams entered the 25th Anniversary Event, started in 1998 at MAC. This year saw the introduction of a 12 Hr Challenge being incorporated into the 24 HR. 7 teams entered the 12 hour event and they sailed the daylight hours -going ashore at 6.30 pm and then re-joining the challenge at 6.30 am on Sunday Morning.
The weather Gods were kind to the sailors this year and the sailors were treated to near Perfect steady 5 to 10 knot winds - these conditions were perfect for the junior and novice teams. It blew Westerly and North Westerly most of time, on Saturday afternoon we had a medium 10- 15 knot South Easter blowing but this died and went back to a Northerly late Saturday night.
This was unlike the last event in 2022 where gale force 25-35 knot SE winds blew. The 20 boat fleet was reduced to just 5 boats competing with many boats going in for repairs and torn sails, while other teams waited on the side lines for the conditions to moderate. These heavy winds helped a MAC GP14 dinghy - The Red Barron-break the world record.
Saturday night saw the light winds continue and eventually die off in the early morning hours.
This year's event saw 9 Sea Scout Groups sailing their 16 foot Saldanha dinghies. The wind came back at around 5 am and was steady up to the Sunday 12 noon finish horn.
In the 24 Hour Challenge - Results
Sea Queen a Saldanha dinghy from 1st Plumstead Sea Scouts sailed a flawless race and won the Mac 24 Hr Challenge on Handicap, Royal Cape Yacht Club A - sailing a Sonnet dinghy placed 2nd, in 3rd another Saldanha from 1st Bergvliet, RCYC B team in a 420 were 4th and the MAC team RoyPow sailing an Enterprise were in 5th spot.
The MAC Junior sailing team on a Pico finished 6th.This team of junior sailors have only been sailing for a short while and these young sailors were over the moon at having completed their first 24 Hour Sailing Challenge
In the 12 hour challenge - Results
A MAC sailing team on the Extra Dinghy 'Platypus' flew around the course and finished 1st, they were followed by team Du Noon sailing a Laser in 2nd.
In 3rd spot on a Topaz -team Goose followed in 4th spot by NAVY 1 in a Bosun dinghy.
5th the Enterprise CV6 followed in 6th team Corinthians 2 in a Mirror
7th spot Team Viking in a Finn dinghy.
The Prize giving ran smoothly and sailors are now already planning for the 2025 event.
This was yet another very successful 24 Hour event hosted by Milnerton Aquatic Club. For more information and Results please visit the MAC 24 Hour Facebook page.