Tradition and Rivalry come to Cape Town – Cambridge vs. Oxford Dragon Boat Race

Update: this article refers to the 2011 Race- click here to view an update on the 2012 Paddle to Read Dragon Boat Race

The African Branch of Cambridge University Press invites you to join us at the 2011 Paddle to Read Dragon Boat race, where we will go paddle-to-paddle against rival publishers Oxford University Press.
The 2011 races will take place on Saturday 26 November 2011 on the normally placid waters of the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, where the two great publishing houses will again square off in a titanic clash of editors, proofreaders, designers and other staff.

This event is sure to stir up all the tradition and rivalry associated with the great annual Boat Race which has taken place on the Thames River between the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford since 1829.

The 2011 Paddle to Read Dragon Boat Race has already attracted considerable media interest - including Good Hope FM which will be broadcasting live from the V&A Waterfront between 9am and 12noon. The races start from the Two Oceans Aquarium side of the Marina, and will finish at the blue bridge near to the Cape Grace Hotel. (See map for details.)

Several dignitaries will also be taking part in the day’s programme, which kicks off with a fun charity race that will see key educational stakeholders take their places in two dragon boats in a bid to Paddle for Reading, a fundraising event for The Shine Centre’s Literacy Programme.

A tradition of rivalry comes to Cape Town

The famous annual rowing race between the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford was established on 12 March 1829, when Cambridge first challenged arch-rival Oxford to a boat race. This began a tradition of fierce competition which has continued to the present day – with millions of viewers around the world cheering on the Light Blues (Cambridge) and the Dark Blues (Oxford).

During 2010 in Cape Town, Oxford University Press South Africa threw down the editorial-green ballpoint pen to Cambridge University Press South Africa, and challenged them to a Boat Race. Colleen McCallum, the Managing Director of the African Branch of Cambridge University Press accepted the challenge, thus bringing this great tradition of rivalry to South African waters for the first time.

FUNDRAISER!

Help Paddle to Read to raise

funds for The Shine Centre

SMS SHINE to 38270 to donate R10 and change a child´s life! *

All proceeds will go to The Shine Centre, a non-profit organisation that provides support in literacy and language enrichment to children in Grades 2 and 3. Through community involvement and partnerships, Shine aims to inspire South Africa to achieve their vision of a nation of readers.


* Applicable to South African mobile subscribers only.
The SMS line will be active for donations from 16 November to 16 December.

Race map

Click here to download a map of the event in PDF format

Scenes from the 2010 Cambridge-Oxford Dragon Boat Race in Cape Town

22 November 2011: Article submitted by Alan Vesty, Marketing Coordinator, Cambridge University Press African Branch