South African Weta Races in Malawi 500

September 2009

The Malawi 500 International Marathon Race has taken place annually in since 1984. The idea was born by a group of local sailors, in the form of a casual sail northward up the Lake, with deck chairs lashed to the hulls. They soon discovered that a trip of this nature should not be taken lightly and the deck chairs were hastily removed. The event runs over eight days and each leg is around 20 to 40nm. The Malawi 500 is usually run for charity to raise funds for wildlife projects and lakeside communities

The sole Weta sailor in this event comments “The lake is 365nm long and 64nm wide. The waves get BIG with a short chop. The WETA didn't do a pitchpole rather a catapult going arse over bow, only damage was broken jib batten where crew went in head first”.