T-Systems youth exchange program starts in Valencia

Last year T-Systems initiated a Youth Exchange Program between young sailors from South Africa and Germany in cooperation with Team Shosholoza, the MSC Izivunguvungu Foundation of Cape Town, the Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC) and the North German Sailing Association (NRV).

This year’s Youth Exchange Program is taking place in Valencia, kicking off this morning and lasting till next Sunday, 30 July. Nine young sailors from South Africa have travelled to Valencia, joining German and Spanish youths to talk, sail and have fun together during the whole week.

Today's inaugural day started with a base tour given by Ian Ainslie, helmsman of Team Shosholoza, where dozens of South African, German and Valencian kids had the unique priviledge to get a hands-on view of an America's Cup team base. After the tour, all kids gave a hand and loaded on RSA-83, the mainsail as well as the three spinnakers needed for the day's training session of Shosholoza.

Ainslie plays a pivotal role in the South African America's Cup Challenge in his capacity as director of the Izivunguvungu MSC Foundation for Youth sail training school in Simonstown. After moving to Cape Town to teach at a local school in 2001, he founded the Izivunguvungu sailing school that grew into a full-time academy after MSC decided to fund it since 2003. A number of top local South African sailors have graduated from the school, all of them coming from poor and underpriviledged communities.

Four full-time crew members of Team Shosholoza learnt to sail thanks to Izivunguvungu. Marcello Burricks was one of its most talented students, while grinder Moctar Fall, bowman Golden Mgedeza and pitman Solomon Dipeere were at one stage students of the academy.

Ian Ainslie giving a tour of the base. Valencia, 24 July 2006. Photo taken by Pierre Orphanidis

Everybody gives a hand to lift the mainsail. Valencia, 24 July 2006. Photo taken by Pierre Orphanidis

At that precise moment kids realized how heavy an America's Cup mainsail is. Valencia, 24 July 2006. Photo taken by Pierre Orphanidis

Kids carrying one of the three spinnakers. Valencia, 24 July 2006. Photo taken by Pierre Orphanidis

German and Valencian kids testing a section of the mast. Valencia, 24 July 2006. Photo taken by Pierre Orphanidis

Checking the hull's raw materials. Valencia, 24 July 2006. Photo taken by Pierre Orphanidis

Ian Ainslie and the South African children. Valencia, 24 July 2006. Photo taken by Pierre Orphanidis