DUT sailing team makes history with first podium finish at USSA Sailing Regatta

The Durban University of Technology (DUT) sailing team celebrated a historic milestone after securing their first podium finish at the University Sport South Africa (USSA) Sailing Regatta, hosted by Wits University at the Vaal Dam on Sunday.

The annual event brought together eight varsity teams from across the country for five days of competitive team racing. Each team consisted of up to six sailors, competing in the one-design TSL 14 class, with two sailors per boat.

Led by captain Minenhle Ngcobo, the DUT squad arrived at the regatta well prepared, having sharpened their skills through a series of training camps. The team has also been competing in the Twilight Series in the L26 Class, where they currently lie fourth overall in a closely contested fleet.

DUT made an immediate impact, springing a surprise in the opening race with a decisive victory over the University of Cape Town.

Ngcobo said the light wind conditions posed an early challenge for the team. “If you’re not used to light winds, it takes some adjustment and a shift in mindset,” he said.

The DUT team comprised skipper Ngcobo, backup helm Mthobisi Ndovela, and crew members Sbonga Sibiya, Asiphe Ntozakhe, Lindokuhle Nsibande and Dale Shandu.

Reflecting on the campaign, Ngcobo praised the preparation led by coach Gregg Dobson but acknowledged areas for improvement.

“We spent many hours training for this event, but we’ve learnt that we need to prepare even more for light weather sailing. That gives us a good challenge to work towards back home,” he said.

Going into day four, DUT found themselves as underdogs against a more established University of Pretoria (Tuks A) side in the third-and-fourth-place playoff.

The best-of-three contest was tightly fought, with DUT winning the opening race, Tuks responding in the second, and the Durban side clinching victory in the decisive final race to secure their maiden podium finish.

“The last race went down to the wire and will be one we’ll always remember,” said Ngcobo. “The stronger winds suited us and made it an adventurous race.

We applied everything we’d learnt along the way and it paid off.”

Coach Gregg Dobson praised the team’s performance both on and off the water. “I’m extremely proud of the DUT sailors.

They performed with discipline and maturity against a very strong field and earned the respect of their competitors,” he said.

Dobson also acknowledged DUT and SA Sailing for supporting access to a sport with traditionally high barriers to entry, adding that continued commitment to training could see the team build on this success.

The DUT sailors will now enjoy a well-earned festive break before returning to the water to complete the 2025/2026 summer sailing season, including competing against top L26 sailors at the prestigious MSC Week, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

DAILY NEWS