Group to row across Atlantic for EC charity Aiming to raise R3m from Ubunye Challenge ARHODES University graduate and several former student mates are counting the days until they cycle across Britain, swim the English Channel and cross the Atlantic Ocean in a rowing boat to try raise more than R1-million for a Grahamstown rural outreach project.
The brainchild of former South African rower-turned extreme athlete Cameron Bellamy, the Ubunye Challenge starts with an "easy" 1 407km cycle later this month and ends in December with a hectic 4 427km paddle from the Canary Islands to the Caribbean.
"The Eastern Cape was my home for a number of important years of my life," the 29-year-old London-based financial adviser explained.
"The province has been neglected in the past; as such I've chosen to focus my energy on it as I would love to bring it closer in realising its full potential."
Although 10 of the 19 athletes preparing to sink their teeth into the three-pronged challenge are ex-"rhodents", Bellamy has purposefully filled five of the six berths in the high-tech boat with his former university rowing team buddies in an effort to try and break the 31 days, 23 hours and 31 minutes Atlantic rowing record.
"The rowing component of the challenge is obviously very reliant on successful team dynamics," he explained.
"It is extremely important for each crew member to know and have faith in each other."
According to Bellamy, the Rhodes University Rowing Club comprised a closeknit, dedicated and adventurous group of individuals - key traits needed to successfully conquer the claustrophobic ocean crossing.
Through sponsorship, the Ubunye Challenge hopes to raise about R3-million, to be shared between Grahamstown's Angus Gillis Foundation (AGF) - which works in rural areas around the Settler City - and the Africa Foundation, which runs several projects across the continent.
Although the AGF was chosen because of Bellamy and his teammates' affiliation to the Eastern Cape, thanks to their time studying at Rhodes, they also realise that the province is one of the most needy in South Africa when it comes to education.
"We were drawn to the AGF through their reputation of being transparent, 'on the ground', their sustainable asset-based community-driven development approach and the exceptional results they have achieved over the past 10 years," Bellamy explained.
Established in 2002, the AGF rural development trust focuses on social development through a "self-help" approach, empowering individuals, groups and communities by teaching self-reliance.
The AGF works at 12 different sites with the young and elderly within a 50km radius north of Grahamstown.
While most people shudder at the thought of leaving their comfort zone to test their physical capabilities, Bellamy and his friends thrive on it.
"I've developed a passion for endurance events through my rowing days. I love the feeling of being physically tested, and pushing my body to achieve new limits."
And, if you think a full-on assault on the Atlantic rowing record is just for the guys, think again.
Two of the six-person team - Thato Nabelane from South Africa and Zimbabwe's Micheen Thornycroft - are women rowers who also studied at Rhodes and competed at the highest level internationally.
According to Bellamy, Tembisaborn Nabelane is hoping to become the first African - male or female - to row across any ocean.
"Ubunye means 'team-spirit' or 'togetherness' in Xhosa," he said. "This fully incorporates what we're trying to achieve through the Ubunye Challenge; trying to bring people together from different walks of life and in turn making a difference in Africa."
Story By DAVID MACGREGOR, Port Alfred Bureau
Daily Dispatch