SSL expands African Sailing Programme and builds a pathway for emerging nations
by SSL Media 6 Oct 15:41 BST
SSL expands African Sailing Programme and builds a pathway for emerging nations © Karolina Soltaniuk
The Star Sailors League (SSL) is expanding its Emerging Nations Programme, bringing together sailors from across Africa to build national teams, develop local sailing communities and create a pathway towards international competition.
The programme was created to address a simple challenge: talent exists everywhere, but access to high-level sailing opportunities does not. By bringing sailors from emerging sailing nations together with experienced coaches, boats and international teams, SSL aims to give athletes the opportunity to develop skills that are difficult to acquire without access to suitable training and competition.
The programme recently moved its training centre to the Seychelles, where teams from Senegal, Madagascar, Tanzania and Libya took part in intensive training. For some sailors, it was their first opportunity to sail as part of a large crew and to experience the demands of team sailing.
"For us, this is much more than just learning how to sail a boat. We are building a team and creating something that can continue to grow when we return home."
The different teams arrived at very different stages of development. Madagascar, for example, is building a new chapter for sailing in the country, while Tanzania and Libya are taking some of their first steps towards establishing national teams.
The training also highlights one of the programme's key objectives: creating a community between emerging sailing nations. By training together, sailors can exchange experience, develop relationships and eventually create opportunities for regional competition.
"The goal is not simply to put a new team on the water. It is to create the foundations for sustainable sailing development in each country."
The next stage of the programme has taken place one week later, when SSL Team Angola joined the SSL Emerging Nations initiative. Coming from different dinghy sailing backgrounds, the Angolan sailors are adapting to the challenge of sailing together as a ten-person crew and learning the SSL racing format.
For SSL, the long-term vision is to give more African sailors a realistic route from their first experience of team sailing to international competition, including the SSL Gold Cup in the future.
"Every team has to start somewhere. For some, this is their first time on this type of boat; for others, it is the first step towards representing their country internationally. Our role is to give them the opportunity to take that step."
The programme is therefore about more than a series of training sessions. It is an investment in people, national teams, and the future of sailing in Africa - creating opportunities where they previously did not exist and helping emerging nations build their own place on the international sailing stage.
The SSL Developing Programme is being delivered using Fareast 28R boats, as we believe these yachts are ideal for the learning and development process. The SSL47 yachts will remain untouched and reserved for the SSL Gold Cup battles.