Young sailors from Durban's Point Yacht Club gear up for the Youth Nationals in Hermanus
The Point Yacht Club’s Youth National’s team were presented with their club kit on the weekend. The youngsters donning their training t-shirts will be sailing against the top youth in this highly anticipated end of year regatta hosted by Hermanus Yacht Club. Pictured here are Kai Funke, Shalin Naidoo, team captain, John-Alan Harding; Gust Funke and Ethan Kruger.
Image: Supplied
The Point Yacht Club’s rising stars are preparing to wrap up a highly successful sailing year as they head to Hermanus for the Youth Nationals.
The event takes place from December 14 to 19 and begins with a Mixing of Waters ceremony, followed by five days of offshore racing. Up to 12 races are scheduled, with no more than four sailed per day. Eight classes will compete across two racecourses, with Point Yacht Club sailors represented in three.
Leading the team is John-Alan Harding from uMhlanga, joined by teammates Shalin Naidoo, Gust Funke, Kai Funke, and Ethan Kruger, all of whom have been training hard throughout the year.
Harding, 16, who will be in Grade 11 at Reddam House uMhlanga next year, will be competing in the ILCA 4.7 class for the second time at Youth Nationals.
“I am really looking forward to this regatta. It is my first time in that part of the world, so after the event my family and I will be going sightseeing.”
He has enjoyed standout results this season, including first place at the ILCA Regionals offshore of Durban in July and a challenging outing at the 505 Nationals.
“That was a tough one as neither of us were very familiar with such a technical boat.”
Harding says the ILCA offers a freedom he loves. “What I like most about the Laser is the freedom of movement I have in it; it makes tacking easy, fast and fun. The boat is very responsive, making it difficult at first but very good once you get the hang of it.”
Durban High School sailor Shalin Naidoo, 16, is heading into his fifth Youth Nationals.
“I’ve sailed many national events. In the previous Youth Nationals, I raced three on an optimist, and this will be my second year racing ILCAs. I was lucky enough to place in the top five last year.”
He also competed actively throughout the season. “I recently raced in the J22 Interclub and Nationals too, which was an absolute blast! I am quite chuffed with my result at the J22 Interclub School regatta, where we came third overall and first for KZN.”
The Funke brothers, Gust, 12, and Kai, 10, are also set for another Nationals campaign. Gust will take on the Dabchick class for the first time, while Kai lines up in his favourite Optimist class for the second year running.
Rounding out the team is Ethan Kruger, 13, who has had a busy year after restoring his wooden Mirror and competing in the Mirror Worlds with his father.
He has been fine-tuning his Optimist and gaining big-boat experience aboard Bellissima. He recently graduated from Highbury Preparatory School and moves to Kearsney College next year.
The five young sailors will proudly fly the Point Yacht Club burgee as they compete against South Africa’s top youth sailors in Hermanus later this week.