GEORGE NEWS - Seven young sailors from George Lakes Yacht Club packed up their boats and headed to Hermanus Yacht Club last week to proudly represent their club at the South African Youth Sailing Nationals.
The team was treated to four days of fantastic sailing conditions, and one challenging day that brought heavy winds and plenty of spectacular capsizes – the kind of conditions that test skill, determination and teamwork.
The George sailors gave it everything they had, sailing their hearts out, learning valuable lessons on the water and making new friendships along the way.
Final Results
In the ILCA 4 class, JP Buys secured an impressive 10th place overall.
In the Optimist Class A fleet, which included 33 sailors, George Lakes Yacht Club achieved excellent results:
- Owen Conradie – 14th
- Cameron Simpson – 18th
- Arthur Watson – 19th
A special mention was made to the club's Dabchick sailors, who have only been sailing these boats since October. They made the club incredibly proud with their performances:
- Isabella Watson – 25th
- Emily Watson – 26th
- Olivia Watton – 31st
The sailors were congratulated for shining at this national event through their commitment, effort and sportsmanship.
The sailors who travelled to Hermanus, from left: Cameron Simpson, Arthur Watson, Owen Conradie, Olivia Watton, Emily Watson and Isabella Watson. Front: JP Buys
Adding to the celebrations, JP Buys received a special prize after winning the opening race in the ILCA 6 class. He was awarded the Cullen Keytel Shield, which comes with an all-expenses-paid, two-week training camp in Malta. This is an achievement Buys has been working towards for three years.
George Lakes Yacht Club will be hosting an Open Day on 25 January 2026 and invites anyone interested in sailing to come along and give it a try. For more information, follow George Lakes Yacht Club on Facebook and Instagram.
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