Izivunguvungu Spreads Westward! Article by CPO Gordon Davis.

Project Izivunguvungu was launched at the West Coast in September by the Flag Officer Commanding, R Adm (JG) J. Louw. SAS SALDANHA has christened the project Izivunguvungu West. Izivunguvungu West is now the official member of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Foundation for Youth Sailing School in the West Coast.

A learner gets a feeling of sailing for the first time.

Since its launch in September, a total number of 118 learners from the local schools have joined Izivunguvungu West. The average week sees 95 different learners attending the sailing school at SAS SALDANHA. In agreement with the local school, learners are transported by bus to and from the sailing school situated on the Präsidents Jetty.

The sailing classes run in the afternoons after school and for the duration of school holidays under the guidance of Marcello Burricks (former member of the Shosholoza America’s Team) and two facilitators from Simon’s Town. . The program commenced with transferring the skill of swimming in order to develop self-confidence and to overcome the fear of water. A beginner’s course coincided with the school term and learners have mastered the skills to helm and crew dinghies. In order to encourage development, the learners are divided into various groups depending on their competencies where they can compete on even levels,. This process encourage advancement ,ultimately attaining a level where they can compete in races on a national (and later international) level.

Andile, another of the instructors, getting the laser ready to sail.	Marcello, one of the instructors, standing by with the learners.

Only after a few weeks the potential of some of the learners has been developed and they attend development training on a Friday afternoon. Every Friday afternoon, a sailing league is held in Bosuns dinghies. An afternoon’s racing consists of 4 to 6 races. The best sailors will be selected to go to the school in Simons Town to partake in an open day and sail against fellow learners. Every few months Izivunguvungu organises a large Development Regatta in the country. More than 50 development sailors compete in Bosuns and our aim is to partake in the next regatta.

Our aspirations for 2008 are to enter teams in the “Mac 24 Hour” regatta held at the Milnerton Aquatic Club and the Western Province Dinghy Championships to be sailed in our home waters. One of our facilitators, Wandisile Xayipi, will be sailing with Ian Ainslie and Greg Davies in the J22 World Championships to be hosted in Durban from the 9 to 14 December 2007.

Next year learners from the Diazville High School will be joining the sailing program, which will further boost the numbers.

Not only do the learners have the opportunity to learn a new skill, they are also kept busy in a constructive manner. It is well known that “idle hands are the devil’s work”, and by keeping these youngsters occupied during the school holidays will bring relief to many parents who do not know how to keep their children busy during the holidays.

Protons sail on.

We at Navy Public Relations would like to wish the staff and learners at Izivunguvungu West all the best for the future and trust that they will soon attain the same heights as their cousins in Simon’s Town.