Northern Cape signs up for World Land Speed Record events

The Northern Cape becomes an extreme sport destination with its Provincial Government endorsing the world’s fastest car’s upcoming Land Speed Record attempts.

The British-led team behind world’s fastest car, Bloodhound SCC, and the Northern Cape Provincial Government (NCPG) signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday that will see the two parties collaborate in organising the World Land Speed Record attempts in 2015 and 2016.

The events will take place in the province’s Haakskeenpan region where former British fighter pilot, Andy Green, will steer the Bloodhound to supersonic speeds of 1609km/h to break the current record of 1227.986km/h.

Organisers said in a press statement that Northern Cape Province is expected to benefit immensely from the economic spin-offs of hosting the international event.

Bloodhound Project Director, Richard Noble, praised the NCPG for their commitment to bringing the event to life and said the world’s interest will fall on South Africa when spectators from 220 countries tune in to watch the record attempts.

Noble also said, “South Africa and Britain have shortage of scientists in common,” and that he hopes the attention this event will garner will also draw support for the Bloodhound’s mathematics and science education initiatives in South Africa.

Noble is one of the memorandum’s signatories. The other is NCPG Director General, Advocate Justice Bekebeke.

The current World Land Speed Record is held by Andy Green.