The eThekwini Municipality is expecting a tourism income boost from hosting the Ocean Racing World Championships 2025 between October 17 and 19, Durban’s coastline. 

eThekwini councillors gave the go-ahead at a council meeting on yesterday for the municipal Parks and Recreation to partner with the International Canoe Federation (ICF) to host the Ocean Racing World Championships for the next three years. 

The municipality was also given the go-ahead to sign a one-year contract with Paddle Sport South Africa to ensure leverage of branding, destination marketing rights, and citizen participation opportunities.

The municipality stated that this was a multi-departmental approach between Parks and Recreation, Durban Tourism, and Invest Durban to provide both financial and in-kind support for the event at an estimated R390,000. 

The money will be utilised for:

• Athlete Transport bus hire (Durban Undersea Club (DUC) to finish line) R60,000.
• Security management internal event security hire R30,000.
• Safety and compliance emergency procedures contribution R100,000.
• Tariff waivers and services venue provision, beach cleaning, and amenities R50,000.
• Opening ceremony and VIP hosting venue, entertainment, and hospitality R50,000.
• Infrastructure (marquee, toilets) medal ceremony contingency and facilities R100,000.

The municipality stated that the event presents a unique opportunity to position Durban as a global sports tourism hub, in line with the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), the National Sport and Recreation Plan (NSRP), and the city’s 2030 vision.

Through this event, the municipality expects to promote healthy lifestyles and encourage citizens to become more active, while simultaneously stimulating economic growth by leveraging sport tourism as part of the broader creative industries. 

The championships are also positioned to drive social cohesion and unity in diversity by creating inclusive opportunities for community participation.

The municipality stated that the influx of global participants and spectators will boost local hospitality, increase hotel occupancy, and reinforce Durban’s beachfront as a premier sports and leisure precinct of international repute.

“South African athletes have a chance to compete internationally while inspiring youth development and talent identification at the grassroots level,” it said. 

The municipality stated that, beyond the tourism and hospitality benefits, the Championships hold significant value for the development of sport in eThekwini and KwaZulu-Natal. 

The event will expose local athletes and communities to international standards of competition, inspire youth participation, and support transformation in ocean-based sports.

The municipality believes that economically the sports sector is a proven contributor to both the Provincial and City Gross Domestic Profit, with sports tourism identified as one of the fastest-growing markets globally. 

On their website, Kim Pople, President of Paddlesport South Africa, stated that the host organising committee was hard at work to give the paddler an exceptional event.

“Our country has a long history with Ocean racing, and it is an integral part of our paddling culture. As South Africans, we have a love for the sport,” Pople said. 

Colin Simpkins, race director, said that Durban holds a special place in the history of the discipline, as it was in this seaside city that a group of intrepid lifeguards from the Pirates Lifesaving Club paddled the first-ever long-distance open ocean race in 1957.

“The race course was from the Pirates club to the Umhlanga rocks and back. The diverse, immense, and beautiful coastline of South Africa has created some of the most ideal downwind racing conditions, which have led to the country becoming one of the leading ocean racing nations in the world.” 

zainul.dawood@inl.co.za

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