Their boom snapped in the dead of night, the Atlantic kept rolling and the odds turned brutal in seconds… but the Alexforbes Angel Wings crew refused to let the ocean decide their ending, they kept sailing. And then won the Cape2Rio 2026!
Rio de Janeiro (19 January 2026) – The ocean doesn’t care where you come from… it only cares what you are made of when everything goes wrong. And this weekend, South Africa watched six young sailors from Masiphumelele, Khayelitsha, Grassy Park and Athlone prove exactly what they’re made of, as the Alexforbes Angel Wings crew won the Cape2Rio Yacht Race on handicap… even after their boom snapped in the early hours of the Atlantic crossing.
That’s right. One of the most crucial parts of the boat broke while they were leading. Most crews would’ve panicked, pulled back, or accepted defeat. But these sailors did what champions do… they adapted, they stayed calm and they kept going… sailing thousands of kilometres across the ocean without a boom and still finishing on top.
The Cape2Rio is no casual sailing trip. It’s one of the world’s toughest offshore races, stretching 3,300 nautical miles from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro, with international crews and unpredictable conditions that demand stamina, technical skill, and serious mental strength. It’s a race that can humble even the most experienced sailors.
And the Alexforbes Angel Wings team, our South African champions, didn’t just survive it… they conquered it.
According to the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, the crew completed the crossing in 19 days, earning first place on handicap, a result that captured national attention and earned international respect. Deputy Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Hon. Peace Mabe, called it a proud moment for South African sport and youth development, praising the RCYC Sailing Academy for building world-class results through consistent investment in young talent.
“This victory is about far more than winning a race,” said Deputy Minister Mabe. “It is about young sailors, three of whom are women, who were given the platform to apply their training in a real-world environment, make critical decisions in difficult conditions, and support one another when things did not go according to plan.”
In the early hours of Saturday, 10 January, while holding a lead of about 25 hours, the crew suffered a boom failure during a gybe. Ocean racers will tell you this is a nightmare scenario. The boom plays a major role in controlling the mainsail, and without it, everything becomes harder… and riskier. But instead of giving up, the team assessed the situation and made the bold decision to continue racing by re-hoisting the mainsail without the boom, an unconventional, gutsy solution that kept the yacht stable, competitive, and on course for Rio.
Deputy Minister Mabe summed up what so many of us felt when we heard that detail.
“What stands out about this achievement is not only the result, but the manner in which it was achieved,” she said. “It speaks to the maturity of a young crew that stayed focused, calm and strategic under pressure.”
Behind that calm was leadership, experience and a whole lot of heart. Sibusiso “Sibu” Sizatu, the skipper and mentor, has guided young sailors through the RCYC Sailing Academy for years and he knows exactly how rare it is to see a crew handle pressure like that in the middle of the Atlantic. After the win, he said he couldn’t be prouder.
“I’m incredibly proud of this crew. They were tested properly out there, especially after the setback, and the way they stayed calm, solved the problem, and kept racing was impressive. The support from home and from other crews along the way meant a huge amount, and I hope this shows young people in South Africa that with commitment and teamwork, even things that seem impossible can be achieved.”
That’s the real headline.
Not just that they won… but how they won. Not through perfect conditions or easy sailing, but through grit, teamwork and belief. Through solving problems in real time, while exhausted, while far from home, while the ocean throws its worst at you. The crew’s journey to this moment didn’t start in a yacht club filled with privilege. It started in a sailing academy committed to opening doors where there were none before. A programme that gives young people from communities where sailing is not a common sport the training, access and mentorship to become world-class. And now those young people have done something extraordinary — they’ve taken a South African flag, an impossible challenge, and a broken boat… and turned it into a win that will echo far beyond the finish line in Rio.
Viresh Maharaj, CEO Retail at Alexforbes, captured it perfectly, “Drawn together by a shared love of adventure, our sailors serve as a powerful reminder: no matter the ‘winds of fate’ or the weight of your circumstances, success is achievable. With disciplined preparation, a growth mindset and the right team in your corner, the impossible becomes possible.”
This is the kind of story that shifts something inside you. It’s not just about sailing. It’s about what happens when talent meets opportunity. It’s about young South Africans rewriting what’s possible. It’s about girls from communities that the world often overlooks, standing on a global stage and winning. It’s about discipline, courage and backing yourself… even when the boom breaks and the odds change overnight.
Deputy Minister Mabe said the victory belongs not only to the crew but to their coaches, families, the Sailing Academy, and every South African who believes sport can transform lives.
And she’s right.
When six young sailors from Masiphumelele, Khayelitsha, Grassy Park and Athlone can cross the Atlantic Ocean, solve the impossible, and win the Cape2Rio, it becomes harder for the rest of us to say, “I can’t.”
They did it. Without any excuses. And with the whole country cheering them on.
That’s not just a sailing win.
That’s South Africa at its best.
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