Seychelles (Commonwealth Union) _ Seychelles earned four gold medals at the 2023 Regional Sailing Championships in Mauritius, demonstrating that the island nation remains a major force in watersports. Odysius Melanie, Alison Hoareau, Roy Govinden, and Jean-Marc Gardette won gold medals.
The tournament, held in Mauritius from September 9 to 16, brought together sailors from Seychelles and Reunion to compete for top honors after the sport was added to the program of the 11th Indian Ocean Island Games.
Melanie raced in twelve races in the optimist class with six other sailors, winning nine of them. He finished first with a score of 11 points, ahead of fellow Seychellois Joshua Allccon, who finished second with a score of 19. “I am overjoyed because the competition was tough, but I tried my best and came out on top,” said Melanie. Mateo Draboucan, a Mauritian who won one of the 12 races, received the bronze medal.
Alison Hoareau won seven of the twelve races at the International Laser Class Association 4 (ILCA4) for ladies, taking the overall triumph with a net score of 13. Samantha Faure and Ella Constance, two other Seychellois, finished ahead of her.
“I am pleased with how the competition went, especially because it was my first time sailing at this site,” said Hoareau, who added that it was difficult due to the current and inconsistent wind conditions. “I believe this demonstrates that sailing is one of the sports that, if it had been part of the IOIG, would have given Seychelles more gold medals,” she noted.
The other gold medal for Seychelles came in the ILCA 7 class, where Roy Govinden had to fight hard to keep Mauritius’ Obryan Brasse at bay in order to finish first after 12 races. Govinden won seven of the races, while Brasse won five, and earned a net score of 13 to Brasse’s 15. The competition was fierce between Govinden and Obryan, but he managed to stay focused until the finish to win.
Mauritian Christopher Bon received the bronze medal. Jean-Marc Gardette won seven races to give Seychelles its fourth gold medal in windsurfing, finishing with a net score of 13. He finished ahead of Mauritius’ Julien Morel, with another Seychellois, Jacquelin Languila, finishing third. “I’m super happy and motivated after beating the Mauritians for the second year in a row,” Gardette remarked.
Gardette, a very experienced athlete, commented on the team’s achievement, saying, “It shows the progress and commitment we have made so far as a team of highly motivated windsurfers to bring home the best results, which also shows what we could have done if we were not excluded from the IOIG.”
Wavel Ramkalawan, President of the Seychelles, congratulated the squad. He said, “Congratulations for your outstanding results. You have all done Seychelles proud by raising our flag to the highest height. Continue to train hard and stay disciplined”. The President expressed his gratitude to everyone who was a part of the Seychelles Sailing team during these Championships. He also wished Seychellois kite surfer Neddy Radegonde a speedy recovery after he was gravely hurt during the tournament.
Seychelles won four gold medals, one silver, and two bronze medals at the event. The greatest time to visit the Seychelles for sailing is during the season transitions in April/May and October/November, when the water visibility is maximum at 98ft – ideal for swimming, snorkeling, and diving. Between Novembers through March, it is hot and humid, with the wettest months being December and February.
