World’s Toughest Inflatable Boat Challenge

‘It all began in Hermanus’

The Trans Agulhas Race, known as the ‘World’s Toughest Inflatable Boat Challenge’ started with 40 boats on 28 December 2024 at Plettenberg Bay and finished at Strand Beach on 31 December 2024, each with a pilot and co-pilot. These 40 teams participate in the 38th Trans Agulhas Race which is a 4-day race.

Final Results:

Herewith only the first 5 overall places: 

(Sequence of information: Boat no, Pilot, Co-pilot, Boat name, Engine, Overall time) 

1st: M221, Eben de Bod, Henco Nel, Infanta, Yamaha - 02:38:00; 2nd: M27, Johann Lodewyk, Nico Merwe le Roux, Infanta, Yamaha - 02:40:00; 3rd: M49, Ben Viljoen, Nathan Els, Mako, Yamaha - 02:40:51; 4th: 10, Ayrton Martinengo, Dylan Burger, Infanta, Tohatsu - 02:41:53. On their Website interested people will find the rest of the results.

It all began in Hermanus:

The Trans Agulhas Inflatable Boat Race has taken place since 1988. The idea started with Sparks Esterhuyzen, a well-known inhabitant of Hermanus. By then Sparks had already rowed 5 times around the most southern point of South Africa, the longest being with a canoe from Nature’s Valley to Cape Town (± 700km). He shared the idea with Jean Engelbrecht from Stellenbosch - he conveyed this to his Inflatable Boat Club members and after a meeting or two, they decided to do this route in their Inflatable Boats. Thus, the Trans Agulhas Inflatable Boat Challenge was born!

When the first sponsor of the race, “Die Burger”, announced the Challenge, everyone said it was too dangerous and couldn’t be done, but the organising of the first Challenge started. On 26 December 1988 thirty-three (33) boats started the first Trans Agulhas Challenge at Nature’s Valley and finished at the Old Harbour, Hermanus on 3 January 1989 - everyone agreed that the Trans Agulhas Challenge came to stay. “Today, the Trans Agulhas Challenge is a world-class event, hosted every year by Agulhas Inflatable Boat Club (AIBC) and there is just no other challenge like it!”, one of the organisers said.

(Pictures: Hester (Viljoen) Coetzee)

Hardus Botha