Local duo soar to victory
Local pilots, Donovan Bailey and Willie O' Driscoll, win the Zululand Race of Champions.
DURBAN Wings Club members, Willie O’Driscoll and Donovan Bailey, soared to victory at the Zululand Race of Champions held in Ulundi recently. The duo beat more than 50 other entrants for the coveted title flying in their Piper Cherokee 6.
The race, staged at the Ulundi Airport, saw competitors race across turning points in Scottburgh, Ixopo, Durban Harbour, North Beach and the Tugela River mouth, before charging back to the finish line in Ulundi, a 600km journey.
“There’s not many big aviation events so we are absolutely stoked. I’ve raced in the President’s Trophy before, but this was my first Race of Champions,” Bailey said.
uMhlanga resident, Willie, said the race was a test of navigational skills. “You aren’t allowed to use a GPS. All you’re equipped with is a compass, a stopwatch and a map, and of course a trusty navigator,” he explained. O’Driscoll said the duo would definitely be back to defend their titles next year. “My personal best was third, so to finish in pole position is an amazing achievement.”
The Race of Champions was part of the KZN Winter Air Tour.
