Nigel Milln, the skipper of CFM ll (left) which finished a close second after they were pipped at the post by Peter Blofield the skipper of Regardless 2 , in a two-second photo finish after the 300-nautical-mile race from Durban to East London..
Image: Supplied.
The winning crew of Regardless 2, the first yacht to complete the 2026 Vasco da Gama Yacht Race.
Image: Supplied.
THIS year’s Vasco da Gama Yacht Race ended with a historic finish, damaged sails and exhausted crews; a combination unlikely to be forgotten anytime soon.
While Regardless 2, skippered by Peter Blofield, and CFM II, with Nigel Milln at the helm, were the first to cross the line in a two-second photo finish after the 300-nautical-mile race from Durban to East London, the real drama was still unfolding out at sea.
“The finish was probably one of the closest finishes in sailing history, anywhere in the world,” said Barry Boorman, Commodore of the Royal Natal Yacht Club, the race organisers.
Regardless 2, which represented the Royal Natal Yacht Club, had dethroned CFM II of the Point Yacht Club, the reigning champions who had won the previous two years.
“They’re always battling it out, no matter what race it is,” said Boorman. “Before the race, Regardless was saying that she was going to give it everything. And CFM said, ‘No, you are not going to get our title.’”
After more than 300 nautical miles at sea, the tiny margin between the two boats left even seasoned sailors stunned.
“It was just incredible to watch these two fight all the way in. It was probably one of the most exhilarating moments of my life in regards to watching sailing,” he said.
“They are one of the best outfits by a mile and it doesn't matter which club you belong to, they command huge respect. They're a great outfit, so it's a huge thing for Regardless 2 and Peter Blofield to actually be able to beat them. Even though it's just two seconds, it could be two miles as far as they're concerned,” said Boorman.
AWEH, skippered by Dale Kushner, crossed a few hours later, followed by Adios with John Tudehope at the helm.
He explained that the organisers had extended the cut-off time from 4pm to 8pm due to the light winds experienced at the start in Durban, which left much of the fleet battling to get their yachts moving.
However, only Zephyr managed to capitalise on the extended deadline.
“They came in winning the double-handed race. They were a little bit battered and torn. The conditions were not great, not very favourable, but very happy.”
What began as a tactical light-wind race later turned punishing as heavy overnight weather battered the remaining yachts still at sea.
While celebrations unfolded on land, treacherous weather sparked fresh drama offshore.
“Moondancer had shredded her genoa, which is the sail in front of the boat, and put up a storm jib, which is a sail for storms,” Boorman said.
He added that Money Penny, which had an all-women crew, had suffered the same fate after battling through the night.
The race had already seen earlier drama after Free Spirit, skippered by Neville Bransby, encountered rudder problems and lost steerage during the early hours of Monday morning.
“So they lost power, they lost their rudder, and at about 4 o'clock they started calling on channel 16 and put out a PAN-PAN, which is one step lower than a Mayday, which means that they are declaring that they have a problem, but the boat is not in imminent danger.”
The National Sea Rescue Institute launched from Shelly Beach and assisted the yacht back towards KwaZulu-Natal.
Boorman said the race had once again highlighted both the competitiveness and camaraderie of offshore sailing.
By the time the final crews reached shore, all they wanted was hot food, sleep and warming drinks like the traditional Captain Morgan reserved for Vasco virgins.