The fact the Shosholoza team was chosen as South Africa's greatest sport team of the year is one of the many reasons why we decided on a more in-depth story about these fine sailors. As they will be - as the first South African challenger - sailing in the America's Cup in 2007. A story about their story, because it is an interesting one.

The story of Team Shosholoza, one of 12 challengers in the America's Cup in 2007, is an interesting and a fascinating one. For one thing because Team Shosholoza is the first challenger from South Africa and from the African continent to participate in the America's Cup, secondly because it is a very young team.

Team Shosholoza was established only 18 months ago by captain Salvatore Salvo. Over the last one year and a half, the primarily South African team had to make the more then giant leap from club sailing to ‘art' of world yacht racing on a world class level; most of the team members hadn't sailed a boat bigger than 40 feet. That is comparable to going from preschool straight to University in a time frame of 18 months.

Thirdly, Team Shosholoza has one of the smallest budgets of all the participating challengers, one fifth of some of the big teams as Cup Defender Team Alinghi from Switzerland. Furthermore, it lacks large back-up shore crews, sail making teams, designers, boat builders as well as decades of leading edge technical research and development. This in contrary to the big teams.

Still, these disadvantages didn't stop Team Shosholoza from winning two match races at the Malmo-Skane Louis Vuitton Act 6 in Sweden in August 2005. They also beat the Swedish Victory Challenge, which is making its fifth challenge for the America's Cup. Furthermore, in October the team won three match races at the Trepani Louis Vuitton Act 8 in Sicily, with victories over the French K-Challenge, Germany and China.

And in the Trepani Louis Vuitton Act 9 fleet racing event, Team Shosholoza finished fifth overall - beating more than half of the best teams in the world, including three Italian teams, the Germans, the Chinese and the Swedish.

Team Shosholoza was not only declared the "most improved team", they were also listed fourth, just behind the giants of the America's Cup; Swiss Cup Defenders Team Alinghi, Emirates Team New Zealand and America's BMW Oracle.

Therefore Team Shosholoza is one of the many reasons why people say ' We are Proudly South African'.

Source: CapeTownMagazine.com / Miriam Mannak

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