FAQs about World Rowing Masters Regatta 2023

Flight times vary depending on where you are coming from. Most flights are at night, so you climb on the plane, enjoy a book or a movie and before you know it, you wake up in beautiful South Africa. The flight is part of the fun!

We have done some research to get the flight times from several countries across the world. Of course, it all depends on your connecting flights, stop overs, airline changes at the time of your flight. This is the information we got on https://www.sa-venues.com/travel-times.htm

See all the details here: https://www.sa-venues.com/travel-times.htm . You can also find travel times for domestic flights.

We will be offering an official boat rental service. The official boat rental providers will be selected by World Rowing. At this stage we have three well-known international boat builders that have officially confirmed interest in providing rental boats, as well as our own local pool of boats. Two suppliers of rowing oars have also indicated that they are interested. The official boat rental providers will offer high quality boats at a range of price points based on the age and condition of the boat as well as the rental period. Keep an eye out for an announcement of our official boat suppliers coming soon.

In South Africa, we have a range of accommodation options from cozy safari lodges to comfortable city hotels. You can even camp at Roodeplaat, where you will be at the edge of Roodeplaat Dam and never far from the heart of the activities.

Online bookings are available on our website for hotels close to the venue as well as the glamping village at Roodeplaat. All hotels are on the shuttle route. Click here for online bookings.

Here is a map of accommodation options available online.

The organizing committee will have a welcome desk at OR Tambo International Airport where you will be met in person by a representative from the LOC. We will have a shuttle service running to the official hotels near the course and will be here to help you throughout the regatta. There will be regular shuttle services running between the official hotels and the regatta course to make getting to and from the course as convenient as possible. If you are staying in central Tshwane (Pretoria), Ubers are easily ordered as are official taxis. Our proposed shuttle service will be finalized closer to the regatta and will be found here – Getting around at WRMR 2023.

We use the South African Rand (ZAR). The conversion rates are extremely favourable for most countries. Credit cards are widely accepted, and ATMs are available in the larger towns and cities. Make sure your cards are registered with your banks to be able to work here.

South Africa's financial services sector is advanced with a few large, financially strong banks and investment institutions, and a number of smaller banks. Many foreign banks and investment institutions have operations in South Africa.

Look at www.xe.com for your conversion rate.

We will create a Facebook page – Find a Rowing Partner for WRMR2023. You will enter your age, general fitness level, sculling or sweep oar preference, and boat class you would like to race in. Other athletes who are looking for the same thing will then respond. We will have the link to this on our website in early 2023.

We are working with one of our national providers to supply WIFI at the course. You can purchase a SIM card at the airport when you arrive in South Africa.

The price of a 1GB data bundle in South Africa at at January 2022 averaged R78.50 (€4.89, $5.33, £4.09) depending on the mobile network where it was purchased.

We are working with some travel partners to put together packages for after the racing. Apart from the popular safaris and wine tours, there are so many places to explore in South Africa – do a hike in the beautiful Drakensburg, drive down the Garden Route and taste Oysters in the charming town of Knysna, go cage diving with the Great White Sharks. Have a look here for must see destinations in South Africa.

Yes, you can travel by yourself. We would recommend you read some of the travel guides around driving and safety. Ensure you rent a vehicle from a reputable car rental company. We will soon post tips for travelling in South Africa on our website. Sign up for our newsletter, so you'll know as soon as the article has been posted.

Roodeplaat Dam is in the municipal district of Tshwane and is part of the Greater Dinokeng area. This area offers many fascinating sights and experiences. Only 30 minutes away from the regatta is the Dinokeng Game Reserve – you can race in the morning and be on a game drive in the afternoon! Here are some suggested day visits.

You could also stay at Roodeplaat and enjoy the vibe at the regatta. There will be lot of traditional South African entertainment, with some top South African bands and choirs booked to entertain you. Of course, South Africans love their beer and the beer tent will provide much entertainment. Shuttles back to the hotels will be running until after the entertainment has finished.

We will set up a prearranged tours to keep the non-rowers entertained. The famous Anne van Dyk Cheetah Centre is a 40-minute drive away and you will be treated to a variety of animals including cheetah and wild dogs. Just over an hour away is the Cradle of Humankind where you can step back millions of years in time. Here are some suggested day visits that your family can enjoy.

South Africa is on South African Standard Time, GMT +2. South Africa does not recognize daylight saving time.

Tap water is generally safe in South Africa, especially in larger cities. However, that water tends to be very rich in minerals and may take some time to get used to. It's recommended that you drink bottled water which is widely available.

You will need a valid and acceptable passport or travel document for your stay in South Africa; a valid visa, if required; sufficient funds to pay for your day-to-day expenses and a return or onward ticket. Have a look here for visa requirements for visitors to South Africa. We will provide you with a letter of invitation should you need it – just write to info@wrmr2023.africa to request it.

The regatta is being held from 21 September to 24 September. Spring is the best season to be visiting Gauteng – the weather is mild, there is hardly any wind and the summer storms have not yet started. The smell of jasmine is everywhere, and the jacaranda trees are just starting to blossom. Average temperature in September in Tshwane is a minimum of 12°C and a max of 27°C (source:NOAA.)