Curro Salt Rock sailors set sail for youth nationals in Hermanus
Ballito brothers Kai and Gust Funke are part of a five-man sailing crew representing Durban's Point Yacht Club in the Western Cape.
Two of Ballito’s ‘first family’ of sailors are gearing up to represent Point Yacht Club (PYC) at the prestigious Youth Nationals in Hermanus next week.
Brothers Gust and Kai Funke will compete against South Africa’s top young yachties in the six-day regatta, hosted by Hermanus Yacht Club on the scenic Kleinrivier Lagoon from December 14-19.
Reddam House Umhlanga’s John-Alan Harding (16) will captain the Point Yacht Club’s five-man team, with Durban High School sailor Shalin Naidoo (16) and Highbury Preparatory School pupil Ethan Kruger (13) also selected for the national champs.
The brothers have been training non-stop. Kai already boasts international experience, having lined up against top sailors in the Continental Mirror Championships and Marriott Mirror World Championships earlier this year.
In October, Gust and his father, Thomas (44), competed in the Flying Fifteen Nationals at the Vaal Dam.
The event kicks off with the traditional Mixing of Waters ceremony, followed by five days of offshore racing. A maximum of 12 races is scheduled, with no more than four races per day. Eight classes will line up across two racecourses, and the Funke brothers will each take on a different challenge.
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Gust (12) will make his debut in the Dabchick class, a uniquely South African youth sailing dinghy raced either two-up or single-handed. The Bermuda-rigged boat features a mainsail and jib, a shallow hull, and a flat deck where the skipper sits.
“It’s first time sailing in Hermanus. I am very excited and looking forward to the event,” said Gust.
Kai (10) will compete in the Optimist class for only the second time. The Optimist is a small, single-handed dinghy designed for sailors up to 15 years old and is one of the most popular youth boats worldwide.
“I’m very excited for the nationals. I am also kind of scared because I want to do well. Hopefully there will be wind but not big waves,” said Kai.
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