SIR Robin Knox-Johnston will mentor a young South African sailor attempting to become the first black skipper in the Clipper Round the World Race.

Sir Robin, whose Gosport-based company Clipper Ventures runs the round the world race for amateur sailors, will give 22-year-old Nqoba Mswazi advice after he took part in the Pacific Ocean leg of the most recent Clipper Race. Nqoba, from Durban, is supported by the Sapinda Rainbow Foundation, a charity that helps South African youngsters get into sailing.

Sir Robin, who in 1969 became the first person to sail solo non stop round the world, said: “The Sapinda Rainbow Foundation is making a real difference to young people’s lives in South Africa and I’m very pleased to support its work and in particular to be a mentor to Nqoba.

“It would be fantastic to see him progress to the point where he could become a skipper in a future Clipper Race.”

Nqoba was recently named Sailor of the Year by the Royal Natal Yacht Club and is working as an instructor at Sail Africa teaching other youngsters to learn to sail.