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Yachting Marathon

Malawi’s chances of producing overall champions in the 27th Lake Malawi International Yachting (Sailing) Marathon slackened on Monday after a boat skippered by prominent sailor Gilson Jana stumbled in the 55 kilometre (km) second leg due to storm.

Jana won the 40km first leg in the non-spinnaker class after getting to the finish line at Cape Maclear on Sunday in two hours 48 minutes 49 seconds, but an encounter with strong Mwera winds and rough waters forced him out of the race’s second leg.

Mbwana_matola_fix_boatJana is the only indigenous Malawian to have ever emerged overall winner of the five-legged 400 km race from Cape Maclear in Mangochi to Chintheche in Nkhata Bay in 2005.

With the assistance of his 24-year-old son, Newton, as his crew, the 53-year-old Jana was just three kilometers away from earning glory in the second leg when the strong winds struck down the mast of his boat to pave the way for a boat skippered by South African Johannes Ledebe to dock first.

Jana is among the five indigenous Malawians taking part in the 17-boat competition that involves 34 individuals from Malawi, South Africa, Nigeria, Germany, Netherlands and USA.

The organisers paid participation fees for all the contesting indigenous Malawians.

“It was tough and rough for us in the second leg,” said Jana. “We miscalculated the direction of the wind and we ended up getting ourselves into trouble. Nevertheless, we will try to make up for this setback during the remaining three legs to at least finish on a better overall position.”

Meanwhile, Ledebe, who has partnered Oghale Oddo of USA as his crew, was an overall leader in the non-spinnaker class during the third leg on Tuesday as he had accumulated a total time of five hours. Jana slumped to position seven in the 11-boat non-spinnaker class marathon.

In the spinnaker class, a category of faster boats, South Africans dominated with skipper Charles Girard and his crew Gary Hubach leading the way. Girard won both in the first and second legs and is the current overall winner with a total time of four hours 30 minutes.

Overall winners of each class will be determined on Friday after the final leg at Chintheche in Nkhata Bay where prize-giving will take place.

Illovo Sugar and Total Malawi are the main sponsors of the race. The other sponsors are Chipiku Plus, Malawi Shipping Company, Carlsberg Malawi, Almeida Transport, Malawian Airlines, Cfao Malawi, Manica and Skyband Rab Processors.

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