fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ðə səksˈɛs ʌv bɹˈuːs dˈɔːlɪŋ ænd ðə jˈɑːt vˈoːɹtɹɛkɚɹ ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti ˈeɪt sˈɪŋɡəlhˈændᵻd tɹˈænzɐtlˈæntɪk ɹˈeɪs, ˈædmɜːɹəl hjˈuːɡoʊ bˈɪɹmən, ðˈɛn tʃˈɛɹmən ʌvðə spɹˈɪŋbɑːk ˈoʊʃən ɹˈeɪsɪŋ tɹˈʌst, sədʒˈɛstᵻd ðæt sˈaʊθ ˈæfɹɪkə hˈoʊst ɐn ˈoʊʃən ɹˈeɪs ʌv ɪts ˈoʊn.
Following the success of Bruce Dalling and the yacht Voortrekker in the 1968 Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Race, Admiral Hugo Biermann, then chairman of the Springbok Ocean Racing Trust, suggested that South Africa host an ocean race of its own.