Wimpie’s 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.

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 HeavyWeight 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.

Read the full article on: Plett-Tourism