Plett duo attain Protea colours
PLETTENBERG BAY - A local inflatable powerboat racing duo recently reached the pinnacle of their racing careers so far, after not only exceeding at their first world championships appearance, but also being awarded their Protea colours in the sport.
Pilot Dwayne van der Vyver and co-pilot Shawn Greyling, as part of the Plett Yamaha racing team, earlier this month participated at the World Inflatable Powerboat Championships hosted in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape. This was the first time since 2009 that the competition was held in South Africa and teams from Namibia, New Zealand, Germany, Italy and South Africa participated.
Van der Vyver and Greyling were one of 16 teams who participated in the modified class where engine modifications have no limits.
There were also two other categories – the pro-stock where minor alterations are allowed and the standard class where stock engines are the only option.
The event was held over 10 days from 23 February to 1 March and included two days of surf racing at King's Beach, two days of flat-water racing on the North End Lake and another full day endurance race from King's Beach, which covered 120km.
With some of the best racing teams in the world participating, the Plett duo proved their mettle by securing fourth place overall.
The pinnacle for the two however, was during the opening ceremony of the world championships where they were one of only five teams in South Africa to be awarded their Protea colours.
Van der Vyver explained that during the national racing season last year, their achievements were of such a standard that the South African inflatable powerboat body gave them their stamp of approval through Protea colours. "As far as achievements go, this is it. Since we started racing as a team three years ago, our goal was always to get our Protea colours," Van der Vyver said, adding that the next step would be to make it to next year's world championships, which will be held in Ireland.