Volvo Ocean Race - Cape Town Stopover

The former Breakfast Show Sports anchor on 567 Cape Talk, Jeff Ayliffe, has joined the team at WORLDSPORT in Cape Town, and has been appointed as the Port Crew Media member for the Volvo Ocean Race Cape Town Stopover.

 Jeff’s primary responsibility will be the recording and distribution of all digital multi -media during the Cape Town stopover, including radio interviews with teams and crews, photography, video and social media. During a radio career than has spanned 20 years, Jeff’s primary interest has always centered more on adventure sport and his media experience with sailing goes back to the days that the race was still called the ‘Whitbread’.

He remembers with fondness the drama of ‘Around Alone’ 1998, which featured  Capetonian Neal Petesen, whom Jeff  interviewed live on KFM as he crossed the finish line in Punta Del Este. That race had more than it’s share of drama, with a Southern Ocean rescue of Isabelle Autissier by Jean Pierre Mouligne  after Autissier’s yacht sank. “ That race almost single handedly turned me into an ocean-racing fan, if you’ll excuse the pun” said Jeff.

During the last Volvo Ocean race, Jeff virtually lived at the teams base at the V & A Waterfront, and set up very strong relations with a few of the sailors and teams, including eventual race winner Torben Grael and Ericsson, and PUMA  Ocean racing skipper Kenny Read. Jeff continued to interview Read throughout the race, and spoke to the on-going PUMA skipper less than 3 weeks ago about his hopes for 2011.

You can catch some of Jeff’s recent interviews, including Read and South African Michael Pammenter, on the facebook page of ‘Volvo Ocean Race – Cape Town Stopover’.

“This years edition will probably be the closest ever” says Jeff. “Restrictions in sails and sail development mean that that it’s unlikely that any one team will have a clear advantage”. As far as his favourites go, Jeff is passionate about a few teams.

 “Team Camper has a friend, Michael Pammenter, as crew. They’re a solid team.  PUMA Ocean racing are owed a bucketful of luck after the last edition, and Kenny (Read) has always been amazing to work with from a media perspective, and they have a Saffer aboard. ( Jono Swain) Abu Dhabi has a Capetonian on the crew with Paul Willcox, and they’re a kinda ‘sister’ boat to us, as we’re handling the Abu Dhabi stopover. But, my head probably tells me that Groupama start as favourites. Frank Cammas, the skipper, is sailings ‘Kelly Slater’. This race will go down to experience and race tactics, and Cammas has the whole package.”

The  Volvo Ocean Race starts in Alicante, Spain on Saturday 5th November 2011 and concludes in Galway, Ireland, during early July 2012.

The leading boat is expected to appear over Cape Town’s horizon on November 25th. The 7 crews will spend about 2 weeks in Cape Town, and their stay will include a Pro-Am race, and an In-Port race in Table Bay, before restarting Leg 2 on Sunday 11th December.