Robert Glover shines light on African sailing

“I’ve skateboarded since when I can remember – flying around on a ‘baby’ board was much more fun than being in a wheelchair,” explained Glover. “My spine is not technically connected to my hips; my legs are underdeveloped as a consequence – this is sacral agenesis.

“As a kid I never thought of it as an advantage, but now I do – I don’t have to do anything extraordinary to stand out.”

“Where I really get to be myself is when I’m doing sports – and being on the water is where I get my speed fix and flex my competitive muscles.

“Skateboarding is now my meditation.”

 

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Sailing – where it all began

“It all started when I was 11, pushed out in an Optimist into Walvis Bay, home to dolphins, whales and Cape fur seals and busy with fishing boats and ships.

“‘You’ll work it out – you always do,’ my dad said – but a few weeks earlier we’d capsised in a Laser, so I was a bit scared.

“First of all, I had to master being a “lighty” – even now I’m only 32 kilos and one metre tall more or less.

“I’ve been obsessed with sailing ever since.”  

And this obsession led to him being talent spotted at a performance clinic in Mossel Bay on South Africa’s Western Cape Province by World Sailing’s Emerging Nations coach Rob Holden.

“Robert doesn’t see barriers – anything is possible – and that’s what struck me back in 2017 when we met for the first time,” explains Holden.

“Self-taught, Robert came to coach, not sail.

“He was a natural with talented, young and able-bodied sailors on all kinds of boats – from Hobie to Laser to Hansa 303. It was clear then, at 17 years old, he had the life experience and skills for coaching as well as sailing.”

Just a few months later, Glover was in Kiel, Germany, at his first Paralympic Development Programme (PDP) clinic.

“I’m more of a do-er than a watcher, but seeing the sailing at Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games focused my attention – the PDP basically kickstarted my world championship sailing career.

‘Sailing has it all’

“I did karate as a kid and I’ve recently discovered indoor rock climbing – I’ll always be exploring. But I can’t imagine not being in or on the water.

“I started out sailing catamarans – going in a straight line fast. Now I’m sailing mono hull, which requires a lot more strategy.”

Needless to say, Robert Glover is a firm believer in Para Sailing being reinstated in the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.

“Sailing has it all – the opportunity to be aggressive (in the nicest possible way!) – with the technical side harnessing the natural elements for power, speed and direction.

“No race is ever the same – it’s unpredictable and this makes sailing a crazy cool experience.

“Squalls come in, you can’t see ahead of you, rain is falling fast – it’s a grueling experience and you’re running out of time. It’s a fight and the most resilient come through it. On other days you have it flat calm.

“For many Para sailors it’s the freedom sailing offers – but for me, I’m lucky to have had my freedom since being very young.

“Sailing for me is the adventure. Taking you to new places – into the wild sometimes – and with a great global community that knows how to relax and have fun.”

Future for African sailing

Glover will continue to shine a light on sailing and water-based sports in Africa as he goes back to college over the border in Cape Town, South Africa in September.

“While finishing my studies, I’m also setting up a consultancy looking at environmental factors – water treatment and energy solutions – and financial sustainability for small businesses. I intend to put all this to good use too within the sailing community.

“We need to keep developing opportunities for Para Sailing – reducing the costs to entry and basically making the sport more accessible.

“I’m from Walvis Bay – this is where the Sailrocket 2 set a new world sailing speed record – and we have an amazing yacht club with great facilities, with members that would make great experiences for Para sailors.

“We can definitely make it happen in Africa!”