STS celebrates 40th anniversary |12 October 2017

Sailing has made Seychelles proud in many international competitions

The Sail Training Scheme is this month celebrating 40 years since its inception and there is no denying that it has greatly contributed to the development of sailing in Seychelles.

It was back in 1976 that the Sail Training Scheme (STS) came to be and inspired by a similar project in Hong Kong, it was the then secretary of the Seychelles Yacht Club, Arthur Tuck, who decided to launch the STS which would teach sailing to the youth of Seychelles.

In 1977 the first group of students began courses in sailing and by 1979 over 100 young people in Seychelles had gained certificates in sailing, but soon after, the STS was closed as the expatriate instructors left the country.

A student, Chrystold Chetty, led a group to a successful petition to then President France Albert Rene to restart the STS and by January 1980 plans were made to bring it back.

With the help of various partners throughout the years, the STS grew into a pillar of sailing development in the country and it was in fact the STS that enabled the Seychelles Yachting Association (SYA) to be formed. Over the years, sailing has given Seychelles some of its best results in international competitions, with notably Allan Julie being the record holder for both Olympic Games appearances (five – in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2016) and winning the Sportsman of the Year title more than anyone else (seven – in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2011 and 2016).

Alain Alcindor is the current head of both the STS and the SYA and he has spent over 20 years at the helm.

The STS continues to operate and offer instruction classes in sailing, windsurfing and canoeing. It has presently two centres ‒ one on Mahé at Roche Caïman behind the national swimming pool and another at Grand Anse Praslin which was officially opened in 1999.

To celebrate these achievements, the STS will be organising a number of activities which include a gala dinner at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay hotel on October 20. Everyone is invited and tickets cost R750 per person. This will then be followed by an exhibition, tracing the history of the STS, opening from 10am on October 21 and 22 at the STS itself.

S. N.