Seasoned sailor Nqoba Mswazi launches sailing initiative to empower youth in KwaZulu-Natal

IOL News

17 hours ago

Nqoba Mswazi has launched MH Performance Sailing to uplift young sailors in KwaZulu-Natal.
Image: Supplied
While the MSC Week regatta was underway off the coast of Durban, another significant moment in local sailing was quietly unfolding onshore.
Nqoba Mswazi, a seasoned sailor with international experience, returned home not just to race but to launch something much bigger than a single event: MH Performance Sailing.
Now based in the Mediterranean as a first mate on a super yacht, Mswazi has made his participation in MSC Week an annual tradition. However, this year, the regatta coincided with the official unveiling of his sailing initiative, which aims to uplift young sailors in KwaZulu-Natal.
Standing proudly at the Royal Natal Yacht Club, Mswazi announced the formation of MH Performance Sailing on the eve of the 49th MSC Week which took place recently.
'The sport of sailing has given me so much. It has opened so many doors I never dreamed possible,' he said. 'I am hoping that through MH Performance Sailing, I will be able to give back and open some doors for a few others that share my love for this amazing sport.'
His stable currently includes two L26 yachts: Velocity, purchased in 2023, and Element, the former Point Yacht Club Lipton Cup Challenger, which had been in storage since its last campaign. Both boats flew the MH Performance Sailing flag for the first time during MSC Week.
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Raised in uMgababa south of Durban, Mswazi was among the first participants in the Sail Africa Foundation, a project launched by the Clipper Round the World sailor Craig Millar. Since then, his journey has taken him across oceans, from the Lipton Cup to the Vasco da Gama Ocean Race and to the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. But even with global experience under his belt, he hasn't lost sight of where it all began.
'Durban is an incubator for amazing talent,' he said. 'I want Durbanites to remain on their local waters and, from our beautiful home base, go and make waves on the international scene.'
MH Performance Sailing is designed to serve as a stepping stone for young sailors who have already learned the basics but need support to take the next step. His MSC Week crew was made up entirely of young local sailors: some relatively inexperienced, others who had competed in international events like the Mirror Worlds, but all eager to improve.
'MSC Week was amazing even though there was a lot of pressure on us,' Mswazi said. 'But I'm proud of the guys I selected, and we proved that anything is possible if you believe in it.'
The final race proved decisive. 'We were sitting on top of the leaderboard, but equal on points with our toughest competitor, Rainhard Lenz on Grayhard,' he said. 'We had to go out there and sail the race of our lives to win. We pushed the boat like never before, in a breeze that all but evaporated. The conditions were extremely challenging.'
They emerged as 2025 L26 National Champions, MH Performance Sailing's first title. 'This is hopefully the first of many,' Mswazi said.
His long-term goal is to grow the project into a launchpad for youth aiming for international sailing. 'My vision is to give youth the opportunity to step onto a competitive boat and reach for their stars,' he said. 'To be the best, you have got to beat the best.'
Mentorship, he added, has played a vital role in his own development. 'It helped me to stay focused,' he said. 'It is really special having supportive people in your corner wanting to see you succeed in life.'
Reflecting on his early days in sailing, Mswazi said he never imagined a career on the water. 'Not at all,' he said. 'But I felt at home on the water and saw an opportunity to make it as a career working on the big boats, so I followed that path. And I love it.'
Side by side, MH Performance Sailing teams Element skippered by Nicolene Henkeman and Velocity skippered by Anna Correa head up to the top mark on day five of the MSC Week recently hosted offshore of Durban by Point Yacht Club. MH Performance Sailing, a vision of Nqoba Mswazi, was launched on the eve of the highly competitive regatta.
Image: Chris Clark
Asked what advice he would give to young people especially from rural KZN, Mswazi said: 'Stay true to yourself and focus on one goal so you can never lose direction. Mainly, be bold, never give up and stay humble.'
He has headed back to the Med, leaving MH in the hands of his operations partner, Nicolene Henkeman. 'I need to head back to work to make some money so that I can spend it on the new boats, as well as keep MH Performance Sailing running.'
For Mswazi, it's more than just racing. It's building a lasting platform for the next generation.
THE MERCURY