Sean off to Japan
Glenwood House learner
Sean Vonk is one of seven young sailors aged between 10 and 14 who will represent the Western Cape at the Qingdao International Optimist Training Camp and Regatta to be held in Qingdao, China, from 10 to 17 August.
The male members of the team are: Sean Vonk (11) from Eden, Alex Falcon (13) from Metro, Thomas Raynham (14) from Overberg. The female members are: Elisa Falcon (10) from Metro, Stella Bakker (13) from Overberg, Chiara Ross (12) from Metro and Eugenie Burger (10) from Metro. Team management comprises Bev le Sueur (chairperson of SA Sailing Western Cape) from Winelands, Shama Nathoo (team leader) from the West Coast and Dylan Long (coach) from Overberg.
The training camp will form part of the 9th Qingdao International Sailing Week and the Qingdao International Marine Festival.
The event will take place at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Centre where China's olympic squad trains. The Optimist Class is for sailors younger than 16 years and is the most popular class globally for this age group. The Sport Exchange Programme is founded on agreements between the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS), the Sports Bureau of Shandong Province and SA Sailing Western Cape. Five Optimist sailors from Qingdao, including their coach and team leader, participated in the local Optimist Training Programme and the Western Cape Championship in Mossel Bay in April.
Sailing is currently represented in five of the six districts in the Western Cape.
The support for sailing by DCAS and the WC Provincial Sport Confederation has been outstanding. Anroux
Marais, MEC for Sport, Recreation and Cultural Policy in the Western Cape, together with the officials in the department, has once again done everything to make the participation of the local sailors in this international sailing event possible.
Le Sueur said with the financial support of DCAS the youthful sailors will benefit on many levels.
Experiencing a different culture, creating new life-long sailing friendships, experiencing challenging sailing conditions and learning new skills should see them returning to South Africa on 18 August enriched and with a new outlook on life.