A Free State sailor, James Tanner represents SYC in competitive dinghy racing. James's competitive record on SailingSA begins in December 2022. Since then 170 races across 23 regattas have been completed. James competes mainly in the Optimist A fleet, alongside races in Optimist B. Key performances include winning the 2022 Youth Nationals in the Optimist B fleet, along with the 2025 -07-20 Kzn Optimist Regionals in the Optimist A fleet. James remains an active competitor in the Western Cape sailing circuit.