SA makes history in epic round-the-world yacht race

One of the most exciting yachting races has always been the Ocean Globe Race and 2024 saw the SA flag flying among the crew of the winning yacht. Named Maiden, the yacht’s victory is even more special because it is the first time an all-female crew has won the illustrious event.

The race started out as the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, but many became more familiar with it as the Volvo Ocean Race from 2006. When Volvo ended its sponsorship, the race disappeared for a few years but made a return in 2021 and that is when Vuyisile Jaca got the call to join the team.

Jaca’s story is one that should be an inspiration to everyone. Raised in KwaMashu outside Durban, her parents died when she was young. She did well at school and took a course in maritime studies, including a bit of work experience with Sail Africa. Her dream was to go to university but there was no money for that and after completing her matric and with no real career plan, she decided to knock on the door of Sail Africa.

Training someone up is expensive and many drop out as soon as they start sailing offshore, but Jaca saw an opportunity and convinced the organisation to give her a go. She worked regularly on the boats, offering to stand in as crew whenever she was needed. Then she got her break, as crew for the first-ever all-black team to take part in the Vasco da Gama race from Durban to East London. They won their class and finished seventh overall and it got Jaca noticed.

In 2021 she was asked if she would like to join the crew of Maiden, a yacht that made history for being the first all-female vessel to take part in the Whitbread event many years ago. The yacht has been fully refurbished and updated and for Jaca, the prospect was both exciting and daunting at the same time.

She knew it would involve many months at sea, even more away from home. The first leg of the race would see the teams sail from Southampton in England to Cape Town, on to New Zealand, across to Uruguay and finally back to England, to the finish at the famous yachting town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Jaca took part in all four legs, initially as the second engineer, having completed a number of engineering certificates but then as first engineer.

She describes it as one of the most incredible experiences of her life. The biggest rush was the start itself, but the Southern Ocean was a big dream for her as was sailing around Cape Horn. The hardest part was undoubtedly the time spent in the infamous “Doldrums”, an area around the equator where the southern and northern oceans meet. The wind drops to nothing and the frustration is immense for all crews but she says everyone kept up the good vibes and they came through it.

Not surprisingly, there was excitement crossing the finish line in Cowes too, but the Global Ocean Race isn’t simply about being first over the line. Jaca and the rest of the crew had to wait over a week in the UK to see where a couple of other competitors finished before they learnt that they had won. In so doing, they became the first all-female crew to win the race.

“I remember we were at the boat working and the news started to come through and we all started screaming,” she says. “It was so unbelievable that we had actually won. It is still sinking in.”

Jaca even got to meet Queen Camilla who hosted the Maiden’s crew at Clarence House to congratulate them all on their fantastic achievement.

Now she is looking forward to some rest and being back home in SA for the first time in over a year. Then she will take stock and decide what she wants to do next with her life. And have a braai. She says wherever she went around the world, people put on a braai to make her feel at home, but it was always a BBQ, not a proper braai. Maiden’s voyage is not just about the challenge of sailing, it also promotes educating girls around the world and Jaca is keen to inspire others to chase their dreams.

“I never thought someone would look up to me or be inspired,” she says. “I was always that kid at the back and everything, but now I like sharing my experience and teaching the skills that I’ve learnt during my journey. I’d like to talk to people who are not even sailors and tell them that everything is possible, you just have to believe in yourself. Go out there, be proud and do your thing.”

Jaca wasn’t the only South African in the race; in fact ,there was an entire yacht entry from SA. Unfortunately, Sterna did not have such a great race. The yacht is run by Allspice Yachting of Cape Town and also underwent a huge refitting before embarking on the global challenge.

Sterna and its SA crew finished 11th, but it was a troubled race for the 42-year-old yacht. Repairs in Cape Town forced them to miss the start of Leg 2 and then not long after getting under way again, they had to dock in Mossel Bay for repairs on Sterna’s rudder. They had to use an external contractor to make the repairs and that disqualified them from the leg, a huge disappointment as they headed for New Zealand. Further repairs were needed in Auckland but in typical SA style, they showed true determination and eventually made it to Cowes.

“We made it,” said Sterna’s chief mate, Melissa du Toit, at the finish. “Probably with the smallest budget in the smallest boat out of the entire fleet, probably had the worst weather out of the entire fleet and we still got here in one piece and we still did it — we’re here — we made it and it’s incredible!”

Now all the crews will enjoy a hard-earned rest and some time with friends and family, but we suspect plans are already being made to take on the next challenge.