South African National Junior Championship Tour
We are sending a touring squad of 12 girls who will to participate in one of the world’s premier
school rowing regattas, to be held in Pretoria, South Africa in March 2007. The girls will participate in
a mixture of sculling events including single sculls, double sculls and quadruple sculls. This is a new
method of rowing for our girls and it will take an extraordinary effort on their behalf to be competitive
in this regatta, a condition of our entry.
The tour format (as detailed on the following pages) includes visits to London, Zimbabwe and
South Africa. With a one day lay over in London, the girls will be able to visit some of England’s
most notable architectural sites including, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben,
Tower Bridge and castle, Trafalgar square and more.
We then move on to Zimbabwe where the girls will be hosted by the families of Chisipite School
(Zimbabwe’s premier private all girls school) and begin water training again in gloriously warm
weather. A local, low key regatta on Sunday will give us an indication as to just how much work
still needs to be done. We will spend a couple of days at Victoria Falls, one of the world’s seven
natural wonders before heading to South Africa for the main event.
Our first weekend in South Africa is focused around the Wemmer Sprints regatta in Johannesburg.
This is a serious regatta…. for small clubs, and is an excellent way for us to cut our teeth against real
competition. Our hosts will be the families from Holy Rosary School, with whom the Zimbabwe girls will
also be staying. The following week includes a grueling practice regimen as well as an extraordinary
Safari, with an overnight stay at Pilanesburg National Park, one of the world’s
premier wildlife sanctuaries. The week and tour culminates with ourmain purpose, the South African
National Jnr. Championships held Friday through Sunday March 2 – 4. Having made their mark and
absorbing a host of extraordinary experiences, with new friendships formed, the girls will come home
on Monday March 6
th, somewhat worldlier and wiser.
Tour itinerary February 14th - March 6th 2007
February 14th
Wednesday - Depart BOS on BA 214 to London 8.30pm - Shuttle Van from BK? Plane.
Thursday - Day in London. Depart 6.30pm BA153 for Harare. Plane
Friday - Arrive Harare 7.00am. Proceed to Lovemore's house for r&r
2:00pm meet host families and luncheon. Hosts
Saturday - 6:00 am rowing! Training on Mazowe Dam, overnight camp
3 x 2 hour training sessions. Camping
Sunday - Local regatta plus training, night with hosts.
Monday Morning - school at Chisipite School, afternoon training at Mazowe
night with host family
Tuesday - Early am departure for Victoria Falls. Village visit in route
Dinner at the Mama Africa's. Night at Sunshine Guest Lodge
Wednesday - Full day white water rafting trip. Dinner at Boma House. SSGL
February 22nd Thursday - Morning at Vic Falls / craft village flight
1:50pm flight BA6282 to Johannesburg. Arrive 3:30pm,
met by host family from Holy Rosary Girls School.
Friday - 3x 2 hour training sessions at Wemmer Pan. Host family
Saturday - Wemmer Sprints regatta (heats). Host families
February 25th Sunday - Wemmer Sprints regatta (finals). Transfer to Roddeplaat. Camping
Monday - At Roodeplaat. 3x 2hr training. Camping
February 27th - Tuesday Early am training. Transfer to Pilanesburg National Park
Afternoon game drive in safari vehicles, night time bush bbq, night
game drive back to chalets. PNP - chalets.
Wednesday - early morning game drive. Mid-day return to Roodeplaat
afternoon training session. Camping.
Thursday - 2x 2hr training sessions. Afternoon at Collanades, r&r. Camping
Friday - SANJC ! Doubles and sculling events. Camping
Saturday - Quad heats and repecharges. Camping
Sunday - Quad finals and pairs events. Rowers annual social. Camping
March 5th Monday - Day in Sandton, shopping / r&r. depart JNB BA 054 for LHR. Plane
Tuesday - BA 213 depart LHR 10.25am arrive BOS 12.55pm. Home sweet home!
General information:
Flights: All flights will be on British Airways, the world’s best international airline.
London: Our flight arrives 6.30 and leaves at 6.30pm, the girls will spend the day sight seeing in
London, probably in one of the famous double decker buses. Highlights include watching the changing
of the guard at Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Tower Palace and the Royal Jewel collection,
St. Pauls Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and Trafalgar Square.
Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in central southern Africa that shares a common
border with South Africa. It has a population of about 12 million people and the official language is English.
The unit of currency is the Zimbabwe dollar and the exchange rate is…ridiculous! We will be hosted by the
rowing girls of Chisipite school who will also be going to SouthAfrica with us. One of the highlights of the tour will
be visiting the Victoria Falls, one of the world’sseven natural wonders, a world heritage sight. The largest falls in the
world, they dwarf Niagra on every scale. A white water rafting trip on the Zambezi below the falls is truly awesome.
Dinner at the Boma will never be forgotten, and a visit to an African village, humbling and inspiring.
South Africa: A modern country with an ancient soul, again English is the official language in thiscountry
of 44 million people. The regatta is the focus of our tour and makingthe A final in the quad events, our goal.
In addition we will immerse ourselves in the culture, staying with South Africans, camping by the dam and
going on a real Safari – will ensure that the girls come home with eyes wide open. Our visit to the Pilanesburg
National Park, in open style land cruisers, whilst watching elephants, lions, rhino,buffalo, giraffe, zebra and
countless other species as they go about their natural day, will be exhilarating, to cap it off with adinner in the bush
with just the sounds of the wild all around will have the girls mesmerized, who needs MTV.