Chatting to young sailor Chad Stevenson

Royal Natal Yacht Club

RS Tera World Championships

Weymouth, England: 28 July – 5 August

The twinkling eyes of Chad Stevenson (13), from Durban North, sparkle as he talks about his about his burst onto the sailing scene and his next big event, the RS Tera World Championship that takes place in Weymouth, England from 28^th July 2013.

Chad first began sailing with the 57^th Sea Scouts in the late 2009 under the encouragement of his mother and hasn’t looked back. Being the first sailor in the Stevenson family, the young lad quickly advanced from  Sea Scouts to Sail Africa, where he was introduced to dinghy racing. “I love RS Tera’s! It’s fun and fast. I have a need for speed.” The sprightly sailor has competed in the Oppie Class, Hobbies but utterly loves the small one man monohull and has an impressive long list of achievements from his fresh career in the RS Tera`s.

Last year, he competed in the RS Tera World Championships in August in Italy, coming 12^th. “The conditions were trying, and being my first ever overseas big competition, it was a bit overwhelming but I loved every moment of it. Lake Iseo was awesome.”

Asked what he is most looking forward to when racing in the UK, he quickly states with a beaming smile on his face, “Not the weather!” The sun worshiper however follows this statement with, “The wind, it is going to be the best! It gets to around 25knots at this time of year. Also where the event is being held, that is where the London Olympics was held last year, so I will be sailing on the same waters and at the same venue as some of the current great names in the sport.I want to come in the top three this year.”

The determined face admits, “Would you like to know what my four year plan is?  In 2016 Rio Olympics, I will be sixteen then! And then my eight year plan is the 2020 Olympics. I am training hard and would like to thank my coaches , Rudy Mc Neal and Michael Dickinson, in helping me to achieve this. After the Olympics, I would then love to compete in an America’s Cup campaign, which is the ultimate in racing.”

The Crawford La Lucia schoolboy is a sport fanatic, competing in everything that his schedule allows, having been awarded KZN Colours for sailing and was also trying for cross county but had to stop and go sail Worlds in Italy. He also participates in hockey; soccer at school and Juventus FC, mountain biking at Mudman and the Spur Mongoose series, swimming and triathlons. “I like being competitive, it is my life. I have done extremely well in my sailing, I have mostly won every single event I have participated in. I have travelled to the Eastern Cape Provincials, Western Cape Provincials and KZN Provincials and  the SAS Youth Nationals where I dominated all the races in the RS Tera Sport class.I also won the inter-schools regatta for Crawford.”

This  young Durban sailor is looking for support and sponsorship to make his dreams become a reality. He needs to raise around R40,000 for his upcoming trip to Weymouth which will be for flights, kit, boat chartering, transport and accommodation. If anyone is able to assist, please contact Gayle from the Royal Natal Yacht Club on 031 301 5425 or Gary Stevenson on 079 555 1068 or chadsports@mweb.co.za.