Sailing Magazine
Mike Hayton’s Nitro sailing team are now in their fourth year of campaigning in Cape Town, and not only do their results continue to impress, but they’ve now started competing in the offshore races being offered, and their results there are nothing to be scoffed at!
In the two offshore races this year, Nitro has taken both line and handicap honours twice, while setting a new record in the Mossel Bay race.
They have just won, both on line and handicap, the 180nm West Coast Offshore Race.
While sailing is certainly a team sport, there is no doubt that this teams success emanates from the passion, competitive spirit and desire to win shown by Hayton.
He has also broadened the horizons of the Nitro programme. Earlier this year he sent two teams to the J22 nationals at the Vaal Dam (one of his teams won the event), and has now chartered a Cape 31 for the ‘Cape 31 Volvo Ocean Race’ regatta being held in early December.
What’s most impressive is that the crew on Nitro have remained largely unchanged over their four year campaign, and still produces winning performances regularly, a feat that is not easily accomplished in South African sailing.
Hayton’s crew are also pro-active in contributing pics, race info and videos, using Garmin VIRB equipment, of their sailing via the many social media platforms.
The 2017 Sailor of the Year will be announced soon.
2017 Sailors of the Month
| February | Matt Ashwell |
| March | Mikhayla Bader |
| April | Lord Irvine Laidlaw |
| May | Jonathan Ham |
| June | Calvin Gibbs |
| July | Andrew Tarboton |
| August | Blaine Dodds |
| September | Benji Daniel |
| October | Alex Burger |
| November | NO AWARD |
| December | Mike Hayton |
