NELSON MANDELA BAY - DIVERSE SPORTING MECCA

05 November 2013
NELSON MANDELA BAY - DIVERSE SPORTING MECCA
NELSON MANDELA BAY (incorporating Uitenhage, Despatch and Port Elizabeth) –is an excellent value-for-money-family-fun-in-the-sun-holiday destination, named after Nelson Mandela - humanitarian, freedom fighter and world icon of peace. Often referred to as the friendly city or the home of the Big 7 (Lion, Leopard, Cape Buffalo, elephant, rhinoceros, Southern Wright Whale and Great White Shark)) but not always recognised for the unique diverse sporting offerings. 

The Bay is home to the state-of-the art multipurpose Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium as well as the prestigious Axxess DSL St Georges cricket ground and this is where many national sporting heroes have started their careers or found an ideal training base. Many sporting champions such as Raynard Tissink, South African Ironman Champion; Makhaya Ntini, first ethnically black cricket player for the South African team and Anriette Schoeman – national road cycling champion have made Nelson Mandela Bay their stomping ground.

Rugby’s Biggest Party, the South African leg of the HSBC World Sevens Series, takes place in Port Elizabeth on the 7th - 8th of December 2013 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. South African Rugby Union (SARU) is expecting a total attendance of 80 000 for the two-day event and it is the only time the Blitsbokke play in South Africa allowing South Africans to catch a local 7’s Rugby game.  Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is also proudly home to the Eastern Province Kings (EP Kings) and boasted the second highest attendance figures during the Super Rugby 2013. Being the only stadium amongst the various constructed World Cup Stadia that has hosted over 10 rugby and soccer matches including international clashes this is truly a world-class Eastern Cape sporting venue.

Whether it is kite surfing, sand boarding, scuba diving, swimming or surfing – you will find the ideal conditions in Nelson Mandela Bay with over 40 km of golden coast line and water temperatures between 18 to 21°C in summer. This is why the destination is fast becoming known as the water sports capital of Africa. Proud to host to the Iconic Spar river mile annually, South Africa and Africa's oldest open water swimming race, which celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2014. Great for the entire family, is the Ocean Racing Series which is one of the largest beachfront events in Africa and unique to Nelson Mandela Bay. The series offers an opportunity for open water swimmers, fun runners, walkers and ocean paddlers to come together on a fortnightly basis in summer to take part in a world class fun event - without the requirement of expensive equipment or specialist skills.

Home to the only true links golf course in South Africa, Humewood is consistently ranked as one of South Africa's Top 10 golf courses. The late Bobby Locke considered Humewood Golf Course to be the best in South Africa and said that it compared favourably with the top links courses in the British Isles. Humewood has hosted the South African Amateur 10 times and the South African Open 5 times. A round is a must for any golfer visiting the 'Friendly City' of Port Elizabeth. For those feeling lucky, recently upgraded Fairview race course is enough to get any spectator or participant’s blood racing with adrenalin while watching from the viewing facilities or racing on the new Polytrack which allows for faster and more horse friendly races. Races take place every Friday and some weekdays.

Ironman South Africa is staged in Nelson Mandela Bay every year in April where the destination hosts awe inspiring athletes and spectators from 50 different nationalities, and 2014. An exciting week end with the most amazing atmosphere of camaraderie among almost 6000 participants from all over the world participating in the various events over the week end such as the world’s biggest children’s aquathlon event, Pritt Iron Kids and Iron Girl South Africa which is an 8.5km ladies only fun run. The week end concludes with over  1700 athletes take on the main endurance sport event, each one of  the athletes are champions in their own right, as they  face the challenge of a 3.8km swim, 180.2km cycle and 42.2 km run.

Nelson Mandela Bay offers excellent and diverse sporting facilities from adventure sports such as mountain biking, abseiling, windsurfing, surfing, skateboarding, skydiving and quad biking. For the not so adventurous, there are ample family fun events such as the internationally renowned Color Run. Nelson Mandela Bay was privileged to be the first destination on the African continent to host the “happiest 5km on the planet” with over 9500 participants in 2013. For the more casual sports enthusiast or sporting family, the Nelson Mandela Bay Pass which is a smartcard access card, provides you with free and discounted entry to a variety of attractions and activities in Nelson Mandela Bay. Some of these activities include sand boarding, horse riding, horse racing, quad biking, scuba diving and much more. For more information on the pass offerings visit http://www.nmbt.co.za/the_nelson_mandela_bay_pass.html 

So whether you are a sporting champion, fun competitor or just a spectator, Nelson Mandela Bay has all the action, for more information on events visit the NMBT events calendar at www.nmbt.co.za