Tuesday, 5th June 2007 at 2:18 pm

Able Seaman Tutu

Colourful, ever-cheerful, and vested of plenty of character, there are worse sailing companions one could imagine than Archbishop Desmond Tutu, which was pretty much the thinking at Team Shosholoza HQ when they invited the Arch to be their official patron ahead of their America’s Cup assault in Valencia earlier this year. And while they didn’t quite get as far as they’d have liked - despite some brave sailing, and plenty of support - Tutu will be back in Spain next week, for a different sort of triumph.

Recognising the good work that the Archbishop continues to do around the world, Louis Vuitton, the luxury brand that puts its name to the preliminary competition, will be hosting a dinner in Tutu’s honour in Valencia, funds raised from which will go to the Tygerberg Children’s Hospital, of which Tutu and his wife Leah are patrons. And a healthy fundraising evening it’s likely to be; Feverpitcher has a sneaking suspicion, however, that it won’t be the highlight of the Arch’s week…

For while he’ll welcome much-needed funds, he’ll also take the opportunity to get out on the water with Shosholoza for the first time, and take a spin with the crew. The team has stayed on in Valencia, despite their seventh-place finish in the Louis Vuitton Cup ruling them out of the semifinals and a possible place in the actual America’s Cup against Alinghi; and so an already colourful yacht will have a brilliant flash of purple aboard next week. Good practice, perhaps, for spot in the actual 17 in four years’ time?