The historic coastline of Tangier, Morocco, provided the backdrop for the third World Sailing Youth Olympic Games training camp, as sailors and coaches from across Africa came together for an intensive week of development ahead of Dakar 2026.
Sailors from Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Madagascar, and host nation Morocco were joined for the first time by athletes from Angola and South Africa, broadening the camp's continental reach. The programme, funded through the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Solidarity and organised by World Sailing, is the third of four camps designed to eliminate development barriers and sharpen African talent ahead of the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, in November.
World Sailing's Head of International Development, Fiona Kidd, said: "World Sailing is incredibly proud to support the Youth Olympic Games Training Camp in Tangier. By providing access to equipment, coaching, and high-performance training, we are investing not only in athlete development, but in the future growth and sustainability of sailing within the region. The passion, resilience, and talent shown by these athletes has been truly inspiring, and we look forward to seeing many of them continue their journey onto the international stage."
On the water, two expert coaches from the Techno293 Class led four days of rigorous sessions focused on technical refinement and tactical race preparation. Sailors showed clear gains in technical ability, tactical awareness, and on-water confidence as the camp progressed.
Off the water, the camp tackled one of African sailing's most persistent challenges. Through a partnership with Tahe Outdoors, 10 boards were loaned and distributed to participating nations to take home, giving sailors the means to maintain structured training and coaches a platform to build consistent local programmes rather than relying solely on short camp windows.
Logistics were handled with equal care. Nuno Reis of the PROW Group, alongside the Secretary and Coach of the Royal Tangier Yacht Club, managed accommodation and ground transport throughout the week. The Royal Moroccan Sailing Federation played a key role in facilitating visas and ensuring smooth local delivery, while the Royal Tangier Yacht Club opened its facilities to the group each day.
With one camp still to come before Dakar, the foundations being laid across the continent are starting to look solid.
