For Team RSA, also known as Team Ubuntu, the SSL Gold Cup is about more than racing. It is an opportunity to bring sailors together, share experience, and represent South Africa in a format built around teamwork.
Team RSA has been part of the SSL journey since 2021, when the team took part in training sessions and the Test Event. In 2022, they completed the qualification process and secured their place in the Grand Final in Gran Canaria, where they finished 19th in the 2023 SSL Gold Cup.
Ahead of the 2026 Grand Final in Rio de Janeiro, Team RSA trained in Switzerland alongside the Brazilian team, continuing their preparations for the big event.
Team RSA will begin their SSL Gold Cup racing from the Round of 16, where they will compete alongside teams including Chile.
More Than an Individual Sport
For grinder Marco Tobin, one of the team's greatest strengths is its diversity and the philosophy behind its name. - Ubuntu means I am because of others - says Marco.
He believes that supporting one another and creating opportunities for new sailors are important parts of the team's identity. - I think for us, whenever we sail, there's somebody new on the boat, and I think that's a great way of bringing continuity to our team, and I think that might be one of our strengths.
Ian Ainslie also highlights the importance of working together and understanding that individual success depends on the whole crew.
-You're only a winner if the person in front of you and behind you is also a winner, you know, so whatever you do, you have to make them winners as well.
An Opportunity for South African Sailors
The SSL Gold Cup offers Team RSA an opportunity to compete at a high level in a sport where Olympic campaigns can be difficult to finance.
For Ian, the event opens the door for sailors from countries without well-resourced federations. - This is the greatest opportunity, this SSL Gold Cup, that our sailors can achieve at this stage, to come here; thanks to the SSL, we have this opportunity.
David Rea shares the same perspective, highlighting the potential of team sailing for the next generation of South African sailors.
- But I think this format in the Olympics will make it easier to find funding for us, because it's a team sport, and the format for our country will suit us in terms of how you train and how much effort you have to put in.
The Captain: Ian Ainslie
Ian Ainslie brings extensive experience to Team Ubuntu. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, he is a three-time Olympian in the Finn Class and has competed at the Olympic Games between 1992 and 2016. His sailing career also includes the 2007 America's Cup in Valencia. Beyond competition, Ian founded the Izivunguvungu school, supporting the development of sailing in South Africa, and served as head coach of the Netherlands Olympic sailing team for London 2012 and Rio 2016.
His experience as a sailor, coach and mentor continues to play an important role in the development of Team RSA.
Moving Forward Together
With a shared history, experienced leaders and a new generation of sailors, Team Ubuntu continues its journey towards the SSL Gold Cup.
For the South African team, the challenge is not only to compete, but to build a crew where experience is shared, opportunities are created, and every sailor contributes to the success of the team. - We've been through a lot as a country, and we do pull together, and I think this format with the team thing suits our country - says David Rea.
