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2 days ago
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- IOL News
Seasoned sailor Nqoba Mswazi launches sailing initiative to empower youth in KwaZulu-Natal
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. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 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
The Citizen
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Umgababa sailor launches sailing venture
WHILE Durban's coastline hosted fierce competition during the 49th MSC Week regatta, which wrapped up on July 11, Umgababa sailor Nqoba Mswazi stole the spotlight with the launch of his sailing venture, MH Performance Sailing. Also read: Umgababa sailing ace clinches second place On the eve of the regatta at the Royal Natal Yacht Club, Mswazi proudly introduced his fleet of two L26 yachts, Velocity and Element, marking a significant milestone in his sailing journey. Mswazi, affectionately known in sailing circles as 'The Machine', has travelled an extraordinary journey from the shores of uMgababa to international waters. He cut his teeth in the sport through the Sail Africa Foundation, later going on to represent SA in the Lipton Cup, the Vasco da Gama Ocean Race, and the gruelling Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. Speaking at the launch, Mswazi said sailing has given him more opportunities than he ever thought possible. 'I am hoping that through the 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,' he said. His newly formed team did not disappoint. Element, skippered by Mswazi, clinched the L26 national championship, edging out rivals by the narrowest of margins in a nail-biting final race. Going into the last day, Element was neck-and-neck with Rainhard Lenz's Grayhard, with everything to sail for in the challenging, light-wind conditions. With the MSC Week concluded, he returns to his post as first mate on a superyacht in the Mediterranean, while his sailing project will continue under the stewardship of Nicolene Henkeman. 'I'm going back to earn more so I can invest it in the boats and the team back home. This win is just the beginning for MH Performance Sailing,' he said. For more South Coast Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox. Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
