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TSL – A Good Mix of Age, Gender and Diversity ALL on a Level Playing Field

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The inaugural South African Sailing East Cape Team Sailing League Regatta sponsored by Coca-Cola took place on 12 October 2019 in the Port of Port Elizabeth and was sailed from the Port Elizabeth Deep Sea Angling Club (PEDSAC).

Great interest was shown and 8 teams entered with East London Yacht Club and Rhodes Sailing Club traveling down for the event. Rhodes, captained by Ashleigh Hellstrom had enough sailors to enter two teams.

Of the eight teams entered youth and female sailors were extremely well represented with two Universities taking part: NMU, captained by Matt van Rensburg, and Rhodes and along with mainly young female team – Charlies Angels – captained by Charlie Hills as the only male on the team.

Each race saw two teams of three boats sail head to head.

Emma Lucas and Mphumzi Tsholoba
Emma Lucas and Mphumzi Tsholoba

Acquitting themselves very well was a team from the NSRI’s Station 6 making it into the quarter finals.

Sailed in a rising west the square short course was laid in a relatively sheltered section of the Port of Port Elizabeth. Wind speeds of between 12 and 18 knots made for interesting sailing as the sailors tested each other for speed and rules.

Many were more confident of their vocal amplitude than adherence to rules, though.

In the lead up to lunch the teams sailed eight (8) races consisting of one lap of the course each and lasting just over 5 minutes. On water judging made for some sad faces at decisions made in the cut and thrust of very competitive sailing and, as the day got longer the sailors became more adept at the concept of sailing as a team rather than sailing just for a personal win.

After lunch the fleet returned for the final six (6) races of winners and losers sailing off against each other.

The final two (2) lap race was sailed between the Warriors Team – represented by Jordan van Zyl and Sheri Haw, Luke Weddell and Cameron Hills, Tim and Meghan Jones and Sailing PE represented by Sigi and Tammy Bailes, Mike Cullum and Andrew Scott, Emma Lucas and Mphumzi Tsholoba.

The winner of the inaugural South African Sailing East Cape Team Sailing League Regatta was the Warriors Team.

The teams represented an extremely good mix of age, gender and diversity pointing towards a healthy grassroots sailing programme that is reaping rewards for the sport of sailing.

20191012 Team Sailing League

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.