Royal Natal Yacht Club appoints Commodore

Royal Natal Yacht Club

2013 / 2014 Flag Officers

The Royal Natal Yacht Club held their 155^th Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 27 August, and the oldest club in Africa has elected a new crew to helm the esteemed establishment for the 2013 / 2014 sailing season.

‘Captaining’ the club, Graham Rose from Umhlanga was honoured with the post of Commodore. With the nickname of “Speedy”, Rose is a long-standing member and a well-respected sailor who helms the L34 yacht Zap. Rose takes up the role after a successful sailing season with his young crew.

An enthusiastic Rose commented on his nomination, “I am honoured by my new role in the Durban sailing community! It is indeed a privilege to be selected as a Commodore, and even more so of a a royal club that is steeped in history. I look forward to the challenge of growing the sport in South Africa and continue the great work that our former commodore, Richard Crockett has done.  We have an exciting calendar this season that should keep our sailors busy.”

No stranger to club commitments, Keith Brodie who has been serving on the general committee for the last two years, has been elected as the Vice-Commodore, supporting Rose. An active member, Brodie skippers the boat Ivanhoe and is a regular competitor on the waters.

Rob Samways from Westville takes on the role of Rear Commodore and will be in charge of all the on-the-water activities and events. Samways sails in both the keelboat regattas and the dinghy races so is well versed in the bigger and smaller boats.

Forming the remainder of the General Committee are former Vice-Commodore John Bandfield and Jeremy Kriek both serving two years. Serving on the committee for one year are Warren Clark; Steve Cawdron and Stuart Ritchie.

The Sailing Committee that will be supporting Samways are Hans Dettman; Chris Coxen and Lucy De Freitas with two year terms and assisting for one year are Barry Boorman; Carol Ferguson; Richard Potgieter and Jeff Rose.

Leading up to a busy sailing season, the Royal Natal Yacht Club elected a young and dynamic team to lead the club into the new sailing calendar with the announcement being made at the 155^th Annual General Meeting.

Summer Sailing Season starts

Royal Natal Yacht Club

Summer Sailing Season 2013/2014

Spring has sprung, and that means the sailing fraternity is coming out of winter hibernation to begin the 2013/2014 summer sailing season with the opening cruise and opening regatta.

The opening cruise on Sunday 15 September is the official start to the sailing season. The yachtsmen have enjoyed their winter on dry land and will be raring to go with a number races planned for both the keelboats and dinghy sailors.

The opening cruise will see all yachts muster off N Shed to enjoy the traditional sail past. The yachts sail in single file in a formal procession past the dignitary boat, saluting Commodores from Durban’s main yacht clubs, the station commander from NSRI and other guests. After the formalities, the sailors will have the opportunity to have a fun run around the bay in a social race.

The opening regatta hosted by the Royal Natal Yacht Club promises to be serious racing and awesome fun. The Sea Sailing Adventure Regatta takes place over the long weekend in September with a number of sailing and shore based events happening from 21 – 24 September.

The regatta kicks off with two days of offshore racing. The fleet will race in two divisions, the racing and cruising division.

On Monday afternoon, sailors along with their shore based teams’ IQs will be tested as they participate in a cryptic club contest.

The final day the harbour will be cooking, in more ways than one! The fleet will sail laps in the bay around a set course, while the shore crew will tend to the serious stuff, the Potjie Competition. 

Race Officer, Rob Samways stated, “We have had the honour of a highly competitive winter sailing season with the Ola Lipton Challenge and MSC Week taking place offshore of Durban but it is time for our whole community to dust off their boats and participate in the action packed calendar that will be taking place over the next seven months!”

Summer is almost upon us, the warm weather is encouraging Durban’s sailors to leave their winter cocoons and relish the summer splendours.

For more info contact Gayle at the Royal Natal Yacht Club on 031 301 5425.

Chatting to Cape Town Sailors Sieraj Jacobs and Marcello Burricks

“We love Durban’s conditions. They suit our style of sailing perfectly!”

These are the complimentary words of Boland’s skipper, Sieraj Jacobs as he carefully checks his L26 packing everything away after having just competed in the prestigious Ola Lipton Challenge Cup in Durban.

The team competed in the six daylong event against top international, Olympic and South African sailors concluding in an impressive seventh position. “We had wanted to do better than our sixth last year but marginally missed it.” the charming skipper states.

A cool Marcello Burricks, Jacobs’s right hand man stated, “We are a good team! We have been sailing together for years so know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. We sailed out hearts out on the water over the last five days.” he says smiling.

On paper, Jacobs and his team representing the Defence Yacht Club Boland were the team to beat but the duel offshore between the 18 yachts was extremely fierce, “Competing in an event like this, you cannot make a wrong decision, you have to be consistent and be at the top of the log if you want to win! It is do or die out there.”

The team were in the top half of the fleet for the entire regatta. “Our worst position was ninth on the first day. That cost us but we walk away with loads of experience.” Trader 24 had a scorecard revealing a ninth, a fifth, a fourth and two eighth positions.

The team were up against the likes of ‘Mr Lipton’, Greg Davies sailing for Royal Cape Yacht Club who has won the event nine times in the illustrious century old event. “No doubt he is a phenomenal sailor, a great but Greg also sailed one bad race, coming ninth in the second last race and that cost his team terribly!”

The compact determined frame says eyeing out his yacht, Trader 24. “We enjoyed the shorts and t-shirt sailing but it is good to be going back home. It has been a long two weeks; our bodies are broken after two hard regattas.”

Jacobs, from Shosholoza fame has had a few years off from racing in the Lipton, “You could say I am making a comeback, but I love the Lipton. My younger brother Taariq has been holding the reins for a bit, and doing really well. He helmed again and did a superb job. Last year I competed in False Bay and we came sixth in the strong fleet of 25. I wanted to do better than that but will be back to break into the top five next year!”

The team began the recent MSC Week in Durban leading the fleet for half of the regatta in the L26 class, but when the blowy weather moved up the coast, the guys lost their first place. “It is a bit unusual for sailors from Cape Town to say that they prefer the lighter breeze, but we do.”

It showed with Trader 24’s best placings being in the lighter breeze during the Ola Lipton Challenge Cup.

Dave Hudson of international sailing fame praised Jacobs, “Sieraj used to be our pacer for the Race Ahead team but it became a problem when he used to out sail our guys in training. He is a magnificent young leader with a bright future!”

The team return to Cape Town, holding their heads high after a successful two weeks in Durban as they go back to the drawing board plotting their next Lipton Challenge campaign.

Chatting to Durban Sailor Nqoba Mswazi

Known as ‘The Machine’ in the sailing community, young Nqoba Mswazi from Umgababa smiles while having breakfast after his weigh in.

"We made it!” grinned the charming sailor, gorgeous dimples beaming from his face. “We were a few kilograms under, hence I am allowed to eat!" said the relieved lad.

Nqoba and his team are currently competing in the biggest and most prestigious sailing event in the country; the Ola Lipton Challenge Cup hosted by the Royal Natal Yacht Club. This is the first time in over a decade that the race is being held in Durban.

"We are starting the regatta as the underdogs but this has been a great motivator. The boat is capable; it won the regatta last year, now it is up to the team. All we can do is try our best.” stated the level headed man.

Mswazi recently competed in the Colorpress Vasco da Gama in his first international ocean race from Maputo to Durban, “Early in my sailing career I competed in Reunion, my mentor Sean Jones and I competed in a class that we knew little about but learnt a lot. It was the F18 class, a big hobie cat, we came third last but my passion for sailing ignited there.”

They competed in the Round Creole Race which was competed racing around the island. “We had lots of breakages and were the only guys who had never sailed a Hobie 18 before but the fleet were great, friendly and helped us a lot.”

“My favourite memory of that trip would have to be the food! There is nothing like creole cuisine. I discovered all these new types of food, the Octopus Curry which everyone raved about was scary but I tried it. It was slimy and didn’t taste like much. But the sushi and crab – wow! One meal we had a pineapple sushi. It was a pineapple bunny, hollowed out with sushi inside, delicious.” He says glancing at his bacon and eggs in front of him.

“Sailing the Vasco last month was testing but was great. I did however score myself a nickname while on the water! One which I am eternally proud of! To the crew I am now known as Mandela, the reason for this, the first evening I had just finished my shift and was down below about to get a few hours’ sleep when we went through a bad gybe. I was summoned back on deck and rushed to the front of the boat. I can’t remember what happened but about twenty minutes later I woke up with a huge gash on my head. I had fallen through the hatch well trying to cut the kite, managing to get an impressive slice on the top of my head, similar to Nelson Mandela.”

The bowman, his position on the boat first started sailing in 2008, “Craig Millar came to our school, Rossburgh High to chat to us about his experience circumnavigating the world in the Clipper Round the World race. His stories stole my imagination and soon after I was enrolled in Sail Africa learning to sail.”

Proudly stating, ‘The Machine’ says, “The moment in my career that stands out for me, a shining moment in the last five years. It would have to be the first trophy I received; this was a realisation that I actually was extremely good.” The trophy that he talks of was awarded from South African Sailing KZN for being the Most Improved Sailor of the Year.

“I also have a silver medal from racing in this year’s L26 Provincials and a bronze one from the L26 Nationals, both sailing with his Lipton team racing on the yacht Orion B2G2” the first of many in this highly talented man’s fresh career.

Directly after taking on the crème-de-la-crème of South Africa’s sailors in the Ola Lipton Challenge Cup, Mswazi’s next challenge is taking on the Pacific in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race where he has been selected to crew from China to San Francisco.

We watch eagerly as Royal Natal Yacht Club’s Nqoba Mswazi makes waves in the world of sailing.

Chatting to the phenomenal Martha Ehlin from Sweden

When you meet Swedish athlete, Martha Ehlin, her sparkling eyes glisten as she talks to you, she looks just like a typical Scandinavian lass, gorgeous blue eyes and flowing blonde locks but she is by no means ordinary.

Ehlin, who participated in the 2013 World Transplant Games at the beginning of the month in Durban, is a walking miracle. The words courageous, inspiring, phenomenal, zestful and exceptional all come to mind when chatting to her.

In 2008 she was diagnosed with a rare endocrine cancer that was discovered in her pancreas and in no time had spread to her stomach, liver, duodenum and small intestines and in order for her to survive, she needed these five organs transplanted! “I lived a good life, trained a lot. I had never even been to hospital."

"I was put on a waiting list for the transplant, a waiting list that I would describe as a living nightmare. It is just horrible because every day I got worse and worse and all I could do was wait. There were so many thoughts of life and death, demons going through my head!”

“Then one day I got the phone call. It was a pretty weird call, I remember saying are you kidding me? The lady on the other side calmly said no! My first thought was where can I go to pick them up.” the 35 year old states smiling about the life changing phone call. Ehlin is one of the lucky ones having miraculously only waited nine months for the ‘whole package’.

After her mammoth surgery in 2009 that lasted 17 hours, she had a number of complications and was in ICU for four months. “One day I remember lying in the ICU and being asked by my father what my family could do for me, what did I want to do? And I recall the only thing I wanted was to go outside and lie on the grass and feel life around me. This was hard considering my infections and being bedridden. A couple of hours later after pleading with the staff, the nurses and my father carried me outside and when I lay there, I brushed the grass with my hands and looked up to the sun thinking life is beautiful and I truly wanted to live it.”

That was a life changing moment for Ehlin as a few weeks later she recovered enough to be moved out of the ICU. “In my new ward, I learnt about the World Transplant Games that was being hosted in my home town in two years’ time. Hearing about what the games were all about, I thought wow, if I could just be there to watch, applaud. Wouldn’t that be a miracle?”

With new found gusto, she attacked her rehab with a belief that perhaps she could do more than just observe the Games, she wanted to participate. Her dream didn’t end there; she wanted to compete in not one but five events in honour of each of her organs.

In the summer of 2011, in her home town - Gothenburg, Martha Ehlin made history, being one of less than 200 people alive to have had five organ transplants, took part in the World Transplant Games, “At the opening ceremony I held the code of conduct, I was honoured to do that. With a crowd of over 1,500 people we all stood up and for one minute honoured our donors and all those that weren’t as lucky as we were, in that moment of silence, I was humbled reflecting on how my life had changed. I was alive!”

In 2011 Ehlin was awarded five gold medals and in true Games style, she dedicated each of her medals to the reasons she is alive, “That was my way of expressing how much I appreciated my second chance. My first medal was in honour of my donor and their family; still to this day I cannot thank them enough. The second gold was for my family, for always supporting me. The third was for the staff at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital. The fourth medal I dedicated to everyone out there still waiting for their second chance. And finally, the fifth was for me!” she says dimples evident in her beaming face.”

In Durban, the softly spoken role model notched up three golds, the first for shot put, the second was in the ball throw and the third was in the javelin. She rounded off her efforts with silver in the high jump. “The opening ceremony blew me away, that memory will last me a lifetime. 50 countries standing as one, singing the new song, ‘Our Hearts are Beating’, for the World Transplant Games and being overwhelmed by the wonders of Africa that were performed on stage!”

Claiming that she is extremely competitive, Ehlin relishes the opportunity to compete at the World Transplant Games, “It is about setting goals and going out and achieving them! And I have the opportunity to meet people that have walked the same path and have the same destiny as me.”

Sombrely, she continues, “And of course it is about creating awareness for the necessity of organ donations, the gift of life.”

Back home, the inspiring lady works tirelessly creating awareness, “Before my transplant, I was a PE Teacher. At the 2011 Games, I meet Peter Carstedt from Stockholm; I loved his energy and passion that he exuded. When all the dust had settled after the Gothenburg Games, we set up an organisation that raises awareness for organ donations. It is now a full time job”

The co-founder of MOD or More Organ Donations explains, “MOD in Swedish translated means courage, a very fitting name for our organisation.”

The youthful campaigners have some funky ways that they use for their company’s awareness drive, “We use social media which is proving very successful. We have a few music clips on You-Tube as well, catchy tunes with a message attached!”

The upbeat character changes the topic, “I’m really living a fantastic life. After the transplant, it is kind of like I had a major spring clean in my life. You throw away everything that you don’t need and things that don’t work anymore. It is a good feeling.”

“I feel mortal but in a good way, because it makes me want to live my life to the fullest.”

Asked what she would like to achieve with this new lease in life, she ponders. “The simple things in life, I would like to get married, travel the world, and stop in and explore New Zealand, get a house on the beach and get a dog. I think that is all that is on my bucket-list!”

Ehlin who lives the motto, impossible is nothing, affirms, “With August being Women’s Month in South Africa, ladies, everything that you want to be and achieve, you have already got inside of you. You have the power to change.”

Reflecting, “My ultimate hero in my life is of course my donor but there are many ladies that truly inspire me. I look up to those who follow their heart and walk the path that they believe in! Takes an incredibly powerful woman to be able to do that!”

Finishing her cappuccino, the beautiful soul gets up, stretches her legs and heads off. "Durban has some really great coffee. Gothenburg does as well!" she says warmly.

The words patient, happy, dependable, kind-hearted and above all a fighter describe this profound women. Having spent a week with 1,800 similar humbling stories, I went online and two minutes later, I had registered as an organ donor, I now one day will be able to give the gift of life and be a part of someone’s story like Ehlin, in more ways than one!

If you would like to become an organ donor, go to http://www.odf.org.za/

Ola Lipton Challenge Cup - Zululand Yacht Club

Royal Natal Yacht Club
Zululand Yacht Club

“The last six days at the Ola Lipton Challenge Cup has ignited a passion with the guys, we really enjoyed the competitive sailing and are now hungry for more!”

These are the words of the upbeat skipper, Tyron de Jager chatting while waiting to get their boat out of the water in Durban, having just competed in the most prestigious sailing event in the country.

“Overall the whole regatta was fantastic for us. We went in with a realistic goal of learning as much as we could, that and to enjoy ourselves. I believe we achieved both of these.” a chuffed De Jager said.

The remarkably young focused team did their region proud finishing in 17^th position in South Africa. “We gave it our best. Every day we went offshore with the aim of just finishing the race, we did that and even managed to beat Ithemba racing for the Vaal based Lake Deneys Yacht Club, our closest rival, that was a small victory for us.”

The team with an average age knocking on 20years have notched up a phenomenal amount of experience racing against the crème-de-la-crème of the countries sailors, “We got a taste of the intensity that these guys race with. It was a massive boost for our sailing.”

“From a team aspect, on occasions it was extremely tense but we pulled together. I could not have asked to be partnered with a better bunch of guys. We only managed 12 official trainings before we left. Gerritt has his whole career ahead of him, he is so talented. Chris is extremely keen, strong and fit. Jacques was superb on the bow. Eugene kept the entire ship calm, a good man to have on board. He also helped create a fun vibe on the boat.”

Laughing, he continues. “The week was filled with laughs. On one of the days, we shouted across to Choose Life Lipton ‘Isn’t that a funny place to leave a piano?’ pointing not far off from their boat. That confused the guys for a moment, and got a chuckle out of them.”

Asked if the guys will campaign again? The answer was an enthusiastic, “We definitely want to. The guys and I have been talking about it non-stop! We can’t wait to get back on the water, show our club and our sponsors that have been so good to us that we are committed! We have fallen in love with the sport of sailing.”

“We are looking forward to sitting down with the new committee that is going to be elected soon to set a vision for the next year which will enable us to compete in a number of events, both back home and at some of the other events around the country. I look forward to racing in the MSC Week, the L26 Provincials and Nationals.”

But for now, de Jager is preparing on making the Zululand Yacht Club’s MCU faster, slicker and one of the best L26s in the country. “She is going to get a bit of a makeover, getting refitted and re-rigged. She is already a beautiful boat and really light but we have a few ideas up our sleeve to make her go even faster.”

“With a proper campaign, we aim to break into the top ten!” a determined de Jager concludes.

World Transplant Games - 5km Cycling Time Trials

World Transplant Games

Durban

Cycling

Tuesday 30 July

Great Britain dominated the World Transplant Games cycling time trials in Durban claiming thirteen medals in the various age categories. Overall winner for the men’s race was Erlend Gjerde from the Norway and Ottilie Quince from Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Gjerde defended his title from the 2011 Games in Goteborg, Sweden where he bettered his time in Durban shaving off 39 seconds off his Swedish result. He finished the five kilometres in Durban in an impressive time of 7.49.

Second placed Richard Smith was his closest rival with three seconds separating the two. The British cyclist, Smith, commented after the race, “My time was slow today. It was hot out on the road, in Great Britain, our summers are this hot, so had to adjust to the heat. The wind off the ocean was a bit of a challenge on the first long beach road.”

Smith talked about his training back home, “I train as much as any other abled body competitor.” He said with a cheeky grin on his face, “Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose. When I lose I wickedly blame my transplant. But I feel normal.”

Smith will be back on the bike tomorrow to defend his 2011 title in the 20km event, Would be nice to get the two in the bag.” He concluded.

Quince (31) from Luton also defended her title with a convincing win in a time of 8.45. “My aim today was to win the overall line honours and I am delighted with my race.” stated a chuffed Quince.

Luton’s pedalling queen stated after her ride, “It was hard, on the stretch parallel to the beach I was riding straight into a headwind, so battled a bit with that. Yesterday, during practice the wind was a tail wind, so was different.”

Guest cyclist, Mayor of eThekiwini, James Nxumalo also took to the five kilometre race, “It was fantastic, a nice run and at the same time quite challenging.” said his worship. “I ride at least once a week from Ushaka to Blue Lagoon and back again. I am in training for this year’s Amashova.”

“It was a wonderful atmosphere around the event today, people are enjoying themselves and the race but at the same time are getting a vital message across about giving people a second chance by signing up as an organ donor.”

“The city council has a strong drive about cycling around the city; we are promoting our own councillors to cycle to meetings between the ICC and City Hall. We have undertaken to all motivate others to live a healthy lifestyle and of course, with a lot more bikes on the roads, there will be far less congestion.”

Second placed Nora Lombaard representing South Africa but resides in Namibia only began cycling in January, “This is my second race, I did the qualifying back home and now this one. I am riding at a cycling club where we get to do some wonderful road cycling. I enjoyed the race today, it was very good.”

The youngest competitor at the event, Robert Laubscher from Milnerton in Cape Town completed the 5km in a time of 14.34 loved his time on the bike, “It was easy!” said the confident young man, “and very nice. I am still going to be competing in swimming tomorrow where I am racing in the freestyle, butterfly and backstroke.”

“I have participated in a few triathlons, swimming is my favourite. But I enjoy cycling as well, I get to cycle often with my Mom and Dad.”

89 cyclists entered the 5km race, with all the cyclists competing racing against the clock. The route was cycled around the stadium precinct, with the riders cycling from the Kings Park Pool heading to the ocean, and then turning towards Blue Lagoon before turning inland and again towards the city, returning to the finish at Kings Park Pool.

President of the World Transplant Games Federation, Mr Olivier Coustere announced at the prize giving, “I am impressed by the race; I am impressed by the children competing. Everyone, the motivation on your faces showing the determination to finish the race was inspiring to see.”

For more info visit www.wtg2013.com or like the Facebook page to keep up with what is happening. Tomorrow (Wednesday) the cyclists will be returning to Kings Park Pool, this time pedalling around a 20km course.

Results

Men Overall

1 Erlend Gjerde (Norway), 2 Richard Smith (Great Britain and Northern Ireland), 3 Gavin Giles (Great Britain and Northern Ireland), 4 Stefano Caredda (Italy), 5 Randall Stafford (USA)

Women Overall

1 Ottilie Quince (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 8.45, 2 Hilde Dorman (Netherlands) 10.21, 3 Mellisa Slanley (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 10.22, 4 Ulrika Svantesson (Sweeden) 10.29, 5 Elizabeth Schick (Switzerland) 10.42

ENDS

World Transplant Games

Durban

Tuesday 30 July

5km Cycling Time Trials

Results

Age Category

Boys 9-11

1 Robert Laubscher (South Africa) 14.34

Girls 12-14

1 R.e. Pijl (Netherlands) 15.08

Boys 12-14

1 Nicholas Shugg (Australia) 12.48

Girls 15-17

1 Elizabeth Morris (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 11.29

Women 18 – 29

1 Hilde Dorman (Netherlands) 10.21, 2 Nora Lombaard (South Africa) 13.40, 3 Charlotte Rodriguez (France) 18.45

Men 18 – 29

1 Luis Francisco Sanz Diaz (Spain) 8.30, 2 Gideon Elve (Netherlands) 9.27, 3 Simon Ripley (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 10.07

Women 30 – 39

1 Ottilie Quince (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 8.45, 2 Jorie Von Ohlen (United States of America) 17.57

Men 30 – 39

1 Erlend Gjerde (Norway) 7.49, 2 Gavin Giles (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 8.01, 3 Bas Hoven (Netherlands) 8.33

Women 40 – 49

1 Melissa Slaney (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 10.22, 2 Ulrika Svantesson (Sweden) 10.29, 3 Zoe Dixon (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 10.47

Men 40-49

1 Richard Smith (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 7.52, 2 Stefano Caredda (Italy) 8.06, 3 Antonio Ontoso (Spain) 8.11

Women 50 – 59

1 Elizabeth Shick (Switzerland) 10.42, 2 Diana Higman (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 10.45, 3 Liliana Zelasqui (Argentina) 11.03

Men 50 – 59

1 Randall Stafford (United States of America) 8.10, 2 John Moran (Ireland) 8.23, Gerald Brown (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 8.28

Women 60 – 69

1 Fidelma Hodkinson (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 12.09, 2 Gisele Ceppi-Lucas (Switzerland) 12.47

Men 60 – 69

1 Alain Fossard (France) 8.21, 2 Koos Moerkerk (Netherlands) 8.50, 3 Robert Jolliffe (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 8.54

Men 70+

1 Thomas Jenkin (United States of America) 8.48, 2 Enrico Dell’Acqua (Italy) 10.05, 3 Jean-Claude Le Bourhis (France) 10.11

ENDS