The 36th Six Gun Grill Trans Agulhas Challenge

Wimpie will make history at 36th Six Gun Grill Trans Agulhas Challenge – powered with pride by Iconic Mossel Bay

Celebrating 30 years of braving the Trans Agulhas come 28 December is legendary wave warrior Wimpie Ackerman – and he’ll be sharing the stage with a trio of racers that are title holders in two vastly different sports codes.

Mossel Bay, Garden Route (December 2024) The world’s toughest inflatable boat race sets off, as it has on 35 previous occasions, from Plettenberg Bay’s Hobie Beach on 28 December, and finishes four days and six stages later at Strand Beach on 31 December.

This year a full 40 boats and their two-man crews have entered the challenge and among them count Wimpie Ackerman from Durbanville in the Cape, with Devon Henning as his wingman in the title sponsor’s boat, waving the Six Gun Grill flag.

Apart from the fact that no racer can compare with his three decade record of Trans Agulhas participation, Ackerman has of late racked up a bunch of incomparable accolades. Not only is he the reigning SA champ but also took top spot as Pro Stock winner during the World Champs held off the Gqeberha coast in February.

“And just for kicks, he also won the King of the Waves title at our most recent Six Gun Grill event in Blouberg two weeks ago,” says Trans Agulhas organiser Stefan Lindeque, adding that Ackerman’s dominance of the inflatable boat race scene has been a massive talking point of late. Let’s see if he can repeat that feat at the King of the Waves in Iconic Mossel Bay.

This December, land-based spectators along the Southern and Western Cape coast will again have the opportunity to see this world-class speedster in action, along with a large group of other race veterans. But one of the rookies entered this year has his own success story to share when considering competitive sports pursuits.

Get a load of Trans Agulhas first-timer Brendon Groenewald’s accomplishments in the MMA field: he was African World Pro Trial Double Gold medallist in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (2011), a Silver medallist in the Abu Dhabi World Championships (2012), and EFC Heavy Weight World Champ in November 2016.

“Brendon felt like taking up another sport that tests competitors to the max and so it’s no wonder the world’s toughest inflatable boat race appealed,” smiles Lindeque. Groenewald will be racing with Joshua Smith – one of 12 rookie teams to take on the Six Gun Grill Trans Agulhas Challenge, powered by Iconic Mossel Bay, this December.

Braving the waves for a 10th time this year, brothers Tyler en Dusty Day have a history of riding high on a different mode of transport. Tyler won the Cape Town Cycle Tour in 2011, while Dusty has gold medals to show for finishing first overall in Race to the Sun, and in the Vets class at the 2023 SA Championships.

Further top spots were attained by Dusty at the 361 Endurance Challenge and last year’s Swartberg Grand Fondo race. “Apart from being excellent sportsmen, the Brothers Day are real characters and always good company to have among the crews,” says Lindeque. Yet another racer to watch closely this year is TAC veteran Eben de Bod.

Officially titled the Six Gun Grill Trans Agulhas Challenge powered by Iconic Mossel Bay, the race has truly earned its reputation as ‘the world’s toughest inflatable boat challenge’. Four action-packed race days will follow the Plett start along a tried and tested route, but the one thing organisers can’t control is the elements.

“It’s too early to tell what the weather will do, but we’ve learnt from the experience of extreme winds that interfered with our departure from Struisbaai last year. This year our fleet of safety boats includes three huge semi-rigids, which means we’re geared to complete all stages, come hell or high water!”

Lindeque says these extra safety precautions will ensure that every one of the six stages can be completed on the water, promoting the event’s rep as world’s toughest while also ensuring that racers’ safety is never compromised.

The six-stage 700km course leads from Plett to Iconic Mossel Bay (Stage 1 - 188.5km), on to Stilbaai on Day 2 (Stage 2 - 86km), Stilbaai to Struisbaai on Day 3 (Stage 3 - 161km), and finally to the Strand finish line. On Day 4, the total distance covered is 223km (Stages 4-6) and the day’s three-tiered challenge will see boats racing via Uilkraalsmond and Gansbaai en route to Strand Beach.