Cape Town - South Africa’s top international sailors are set to converge on Milnerton Aquatic Club this weekend in support of the new national Team Sailing League.
Two-time Olympians Asenathi Jim and Roger Hudson will be joined by Jim’s new teammate, Sibu Sizatu, and a host of others at the exhibition event on Saturday.
Hudson, co-founder of the RaceAhead Foundation, said the initiative develops top South African sailing talent as well as providing support to compete internationally.
“Most of our training partners, and the sailors competing with us in the exhibition race at the TSL launch, came through the RaceAhead Foundation,” he said.
Born in the Eastern Cape, Jim, 25, benefited from RaceAhead. “Roger saw my talent and supported me; he said it was possible for me to make it to the London Olympics. I said I will give it everything I can for us to get there,” he said.
Jim and Hudson have been partners since 2009, and competed at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
They have also competed in numerous events on the professional world sailing circuits.
“We won several events on the circuit and reached a world ranking high of
No 9, and also won a sailing world championship together in 2012,” said Hudson.
Jim was introduced to sailing aged 10, and said his love for the sport grew when he moved to Cape Town.
Others who will be competing this weekend are rising stars like Alex Burger, who, along with Benji Daniel, recently sailed to victory at the 29er World Championships in California.
“All of them have done very well for South Africa on the age-group and senior international circuit in the last few years. They are all prospects for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, as well as of course Asenathi,” said Hudson.
“For Asenathi to have come from a township youth to become a major player on the world sailing Olympic circuit is really remarkable.”