| South African Sailing Newsletter August 2025 |
Welcome to this, the 92nd edition of the SA Sailing monthly newsletter! |
President's August Update
This month, let’s talk about Lipton.
Last month I said: “All this watching of sailing is really whetting my appetite for Lipton – not that the Boskop team is likely to set the event alight with a surprise podium finish – but because it will give us, as members of a small inland club, an opportunity to measure our skills against the best that the clubs of this country can offer. It also will give us a chance to mix with old friends and make some new ones, and a chance to learn skills that we can pass on to our club when we get back home.”
The reality of this year’s Lipton Challenge Cup exceeded my wildest dreams. Read more...
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Successful SA Sailing AGM
The SA Sailing AGM was held successfully on Thursday, 28 August, with over 50 members present for the online meeting. Congratulations to Michael Robinson, who will remain in his position as the president of SA Sailing for another year.
Annual reports and financial statements that were circulated before the meeting can all be found online: https://www.sailing.org.za/who-we-are/governance
Further congratulations to the SA Sailing Awards winners for 2024, and those who have been awarded national colours – all of whom were announced at the conclusion of the AGM.
To check out all the award winners, head to: Hall of Fame - South African Sailing
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RSA team shine at Optimist African champs
A massive congratulations to Team South Africa and our sailors Josh Keytel, Ben Henshilwood, Sean Van Aswegan, and Ben Madel for their incredible achievements at the Optimist African Championships. Josh Keytel successfully defended his African title, and the team finished third overall in the team event. Congratulations sailors! We’re so proud of your achievements!
Check out the full story that was featured on the Good Things Guy website: https://www.goodthingsguy.com/sport/back-to-back-glory-sa-young-sailor/
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Sailing beyond loss: The Cullen Keytel Foundation’s journey
In the vast expanse of the ocean, where waves meet the sky, a profound journey unfolds—a voyage that transcends mere physical distance. It's a journey fuelled by love, loss, and unwavering determination. This is our story; Bruce and Liza, two hearts intertwined by a devastating tragedy five years ago when our beloved son, Cullen, lost his life in a car accident on his way to school to write his maths matric exam. The pain of losing a bright, caring, and incredibly talented young man left an indelible mark, but from that darkness, a beacon of hope was born.
The Steel Rod of Willpower
Cullen possessed a willpower akin to a steel rod—unyielding, unbreakable. His dream was to compete in the Olympics, specifically the Paris 2024 Games. Despite the tragedy, his vision remained steadfast. We knew we had to honour his legacy, to ensure his dreams would not fade into oblivion and to inspire other young South African sailors. Read more...
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Celebrating women in sailing
As part of our Women's Month celebration, we spoke with three remarkable women in the sailing community: Megan Gauld - Vice Commodore at KSYC, Kathy Manten: A Samsa external & SA Sailing small vessel surveyor and a lifetime sailor and contributor to the sport, and Erin Renfrew, Gauteng Regional Secretary. They shared their inspiring stories, challenges, and triumphs in the sport. Read more...
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Invitation to bid for the 2026 South African Sailing Youth Nationals
If you're a club or organising body in Gauteng, the Free State or Northern Region, here's your chance to host one of the most exciting and hotly anticipated events on the SA Sailing calendar…
Invitation to bid for Gauteng, Free State and Northern Regions
This “Invitation to Bid” is for the SA Sailing Youth Nationals to be hosted by SA Sailing Gauteng (GP) or Free State (FS) or Northern Regional (NR) clubs.
This “Invitation to Bid” is open to all yacht clubs in the aforementioned regions as well as individual bodies that can host such events.
The tender is to be returned no later than midnight 15 September 2025. Applications to be emailed to info@sailing.org.za marked for the attention of Precious.
Any queries and clarifications can be directed to via the same and all communication must be in writing to the email address above. Read more...
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In case you missed it: Safeguarding Training
World Sailing launched the World Sailing Academy – a new online learning platform for the global sailing community on 17 June and part of the initial programme’s release is the "Introduction to Safeguarding in Sport".
Safeguarding is a critical and key component to safe and enjoyable participation in sport. In line with the international rollout of preventive Methodology emphasis on address awareness, all person involved in sports should aim to empower themselves to providing a preventive environment for your sailors.
Safeguarding is essential to ensuring sport is both safe and enjoyable for everyone involved. As part of the international shift towards prevention-focused methodology, it's important that everyone involved in the sport takes steps to raise awareness and build a proactive, protective environment for young sailors.
Overview:
This introductory course provides the fundamental principles of safeguarding in the sport of sailing, helping you understand your role in creating a safe and respectful environment for all participants. Learn how to recognise, respond to, and report concerns to protect athletes, coaches, and volunteers.
Who Should Take It:
- Sailing coaches who work directly with athletes
- Volunteers and administrators
- Race Officials
- Youth leaders and mentors
- Parents and guardians
- Anyone involved in sports organisations who wants to understand safeguarding responsibilities
For more info: https://www.sailing.org/2025/06/17/world-sailing-launches-the-world-sailing-academy-a-new-online-learning-platform-for-the-global-sailing-community/
For other course options for safeguarding awareness training, visit the SA Sailing Safeguarding Policy available on the Governance page of the website in the Policy section: Governance - South African Sailing
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Training and Development
A reminder of training courses coming up:
Don’t forget to head to the SA Sailing website to check out the latest courses available – from learning to sail to perfecting advanced skills, or being coming an offical or coach: https://www.sailing.org.za/what-we-do/ntp or the Whats on page for the SA Sailing run programs that have been scheduled. https://www.sailing.org.za/events/. Keep checking back as program schedules are updated on a needs basis regularly.
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