Several international rally cross drivers set aside some track time to join the Cape Town Dragon Boat racing clubs for a little fun racing on the water.
Cape Town, South Africa (06 October 2023) – It was a case of the past meeting the future at the V&A Waterfront this week, when a group of international FIA World Rally Cross (World RX) drivers got to grips with the ancient art of Dragon Boat racing.
The drivers, who are more accustomed to spending time in the driving seats of high-tech, all-electric racing cars, are in the Mother City to participate in the World RX event at Killarney International Raceway on October 7th and 8th for the penultimate round of the season.
Rallycross combines rallying and circuit racing; head-to-head short, sharp races that take place on a mixed surface, usually dirt and asphalt. The cars went all-electric in 2022, and Cape Town will be the first event in which all the cars racing are identical – meaning the detail really lies in the driver’s skills behind the wheel.
But five drivers who are in South Africa for the event traded their cutting-edge vehicles for paddles as they were joined by members of local Dragon Boat racing clubs and split into two teams of 12 to race each other in the harbour’s waters. Drivers brave enough to take the plunge included Klara Andersson, Niklas Grönholm, Timmy Hansen and Oley Veiby.
Igsaan Salie, chairperson of the SA Dragon Boat Association, was one of the onlookers impressed by the drivers’ athleticism in the water.
“I was very impressed with how quickly they adapted to the sport. They already got their timing right in the warm ups, so you could see that their general sporting abilities were an asset in the boats,” he said.
And while the focus will be on racing cars this weekend, the Dragon Boats will have their time in the sun later this month when they feature in the annual boatica Cape Town event, running at the V&A Waterfront from October 27-29. boatica Cape Town features manufacturers and buyers of luxury boats, accessories and marine equipment, a once-in-a-lifetime Ultimate Yacht Experience, sophisticated exhibiting companies, live on-water activities, and a luxury lifestyle exhibition for a premium shopping experience.
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