Northlands Primary Smooth Sailors head to South Korea after standout Lego League success
Northlands Primary’s Smooth Sailors shine after securing a major national win and preparing for the world stage.
Northlands Primary is celebrating a remarkable milestone as its First Lego League team, the Smooth Sailors, prepares to represent South Africa on the international stage for the very first time. Their success follows an impressive showing at the 2025 LEGO League National Competition, held at the Sci Bono Science Centre in Johannesburg from 5 to 6 December.
Guided by their dedicated coaches, Mr Kent and Mr Mahabeer, and supported wholeheartedly by their parents, the team delivered an exceptional performance across all judging areas. Their efforts were recognised with the prestigious Champions Award, placing them fourth in the country for robot performance, robot design and innovation.
This national achievement has paved the way for an extraordinary next step. The Smooth Sailors will travel to South Korea in July 2026 to represent South Africa on a global platform, a moment that fills the school community with immense pride and excitement.
Stacey and J Sbu spoke to 12-year-old Kirthan Cross, Smooth Sailors co-captain.
"The amazing support from our school, Northlands Primary, helped us go the extra mile," he shared. Adding a massive thank you to the teams' coaches and their parents.
Kirthan spoke in detail about the internationally recognised LEGO Legaue and how it's taught them to solve problems through STEM. He expressed how his team had the opportunity to meet industry experts in the build up to the competition.
Listen to the full conversation here:
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