The Rubson Raid Turquoise is an international competition that, according to investment and tourism promotion agency Cabo Verde Investimentos, which has embraced the initiative, will contribute toward increasing Cape Verde’s notoriety abroad.

“The Rubson Raid Turquoise is a nautical sporting competition involving small, high-speed boats, and was created in 2001 by Belgian Phillipe Martin. The competition has been held twice in the Caribbean, twice in the Seychelles and once in Brazil, where it has attracted the attention of the specialized press from various countries, as well as hundreds of nautical sports lovers,” reads a press release from Cabo Verde Investimentos.

The event is budgeted at some 2 million euros, with part of the total normally coming from the countries in which the competition is held. In Cape Verde’s case, however, according to Cabo Verde Investimentos, organizers have only requested institutional and logistical support. Even so, Cabo Verde Investimentos is hoping for the involvement of public and private organisms, including municipal chambers, the Customs Department, port management company Enapor, the country’s health services, the Marine and Port Institute, fuel and air transportation companies, the Civil Protection Agency, the Armed Forces, the Public Order Police and hotels, among others.

For this edition, organizers are expected some 25 boats to participate, each of them manned by four crew members. The contestants will hail from 15 different countries and have ages ranging between 35 and 50. “The boats are inflatable, are each 8.8 meters long, 2.5 meters high and 2.5 meters wide, weigh 2.5 tons each and are equipped with 250-horsepower motors,” according to Cabo Verde Investimentos.

The racing boats and a 40-foot container with additional equipment will arrive at the Mindelo sea port two to three weeks prior to the competition. The participants will arrive on November 17 on the island of Sal, from where they will travel to São Vicente on the ship Le Diamant. The race will encompass all of the islands in Cape Verde except Brava.

Source A semana