Team Shosholoza yacht unveiled
23 May 2005
South Africa's Team Shosholoza celebrated the christening of their new yacht Shosholoza RSA 83 in Valencia, Spain, over the weekend, together with over 800 VIP guests and a large media contingent from around the world.
Team Shosholoza were the first of a total of 11 challengers for the America's Cup 2007 to present a fully constructed new yacht based on the new competition rules (ACC Rule V5).
The yacht has a deeper keel, larger sail surface area, and less weight, making all the difference to boats that competed in the last America's Cup, in 2003.
Ready for 16 June
The design and build team, headed by chief designer Jason Ker, worked non-stop to complete the yacht so that the crew can put in as much sailing practice as possible before the first of the 2005 America's Cup pre-regattas or Acts start on 16 June in Valencia.
"Jason Ker and his team did a first-class job," announced Managing Director
Salvatore Sarno. "This is a result of a five-month period of design and boat-building work."
Meanwhile, Team Shosholoza, who are all now in Valencia, are keen to test the new yacht and take her through sea trials.
The new RSA 83 boat is 26 metres long, 4.5 metres wide and weighs 24 tons, while the mast’s height is 35 metres.
Some two weeks before the christening, the boat's hull arrived in Valencia from South Africa, so the construction team had to work feverishly day and night to finish the boat.
Finally, the mast of the new Shosholoza yacht was placed into position a few days before the christening.
Most advanced
Not only is the South African team considered to be fast in boat construction, its work at the Valencia America's Cup base is also thought to be the most advanced in comparison to the other teams competing in the race.
"When Shosholoza registered to participate in the America's Cup 2007, the team was
dubbed a 'nice outsider' and 'exotic colour print'," said Dieter Schweer from T-Systems, Official Chief Sponsor of Shosholoza. "But after today, everybody is aware of the fact that we have to be taken seriously, and this feeling is growing daily."
Rita Barberá, mayor of Valencia, officially christened the RSA 83 in the evening on 19 May.
The passion and spirit of the South African team in Spain is generating enthusiasm not only among representatives of other America's Cup teams, such as Alinghi and Luna Rossa, but also in the various South African personalities who were invited to the event.
South African Ambassador Gert Grobler, for example, talked about a rich cultural exchange taking place: "A new era has begun in which South African enjoyment of life joins together with the traditions of the America's Cup."
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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