Two Curro Salt Rock sailors secured top-10 finishes against a strong field at the 2026 KZN Optimist and Dabchick Regional Championships last weekend.

Held at Henley Midmar Yacht Club from May 1-3, Kai Funke (10) and his older brother Gust (13), both representing Durban’s Point Yacht Club, competed against talented young sailors from across KZN and Gauteng, delivering impressive performances in challenging conditions.

Kai, a Grade 5 pupil, finished eighth overall in the Optimist Class at his third provincial championship. His brother Gust, a Grade 7 pupil, placed 10th in the Dabchick Class, also competing in his third provincials.

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The regatta served as valuable preparation for upcoming competitions, including the Gauteng Dinghy Provincial Championships at the Vaal Dam in September and the SA Sailing Youth National Championships at Lake Deneysville Yacht Club in December.

Light winds created difficult conditions throughout the weekend, testing competitors’ technical skill and tactical awareness in a different racing environment.

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Kai, racing aboard his Optimist – a small, single-handed dinghy designed for sailors up to 15 years old and widely regarded as one of the world’s most popular youth sailing classes – made the most of the conditions.

“The race was so much fun,” he said.

“The wind was very light, making sailing challenging in a different way. It was good experience for the next events at the Vaal Dam.”

Gust, competing aboard his Dabchick – a uniquely South African youth dinghy that can be sailed single-handed or with a crew and features a Bermuda rig with mainsail and jib, a shallow hull and a flat deck design – also relished the competition.

“I enjoyed racing against the guys from Johannesburg. The light wind was a challenge, but it also made for some good racing,” said Gust.