The Hindu : Vizag to host National-level championship

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 23, 2004

Sport

Sport - Rowing

Vizag to host National-level championship

HYDERABAD, MARCH 22. The first ever National-level Open sailing championships in the newly introduced Hobie class of boats will be held at Visakhapatnam from April 1 to 7. A coaching camp will be held from April 1 to 3 and the competition will be held from April 4 to 7. Visakhapatnam will also be the venue for the Zoom class Asian sailing championships in 2005 and thereafter the World Zoom class sailing championship in 2006.

Releasing the details at a press conference here on Monday, Mr. C.S. Pradipak, Arjuna awardee and former international sailor, who is now Vice-President of the National Hobie Class Association of India (NHCAI), said that the Rushikonda beach where the Hobie event is to be conducted is an ideal venue for sailing. The association has 12 Hobie Cat boats as they are popularly known. They are two-man catamarans and cost more than Rs. 3 lakhs each. The Hobie Cats were raced during the 32nd National Games and proved to be a very popular class of boat due to its easy handling and tremendous speed.

Pradipak said that entries had been received from Regiment of Artillery, Secunderabad Sailing Club, Coast Guard, Water Sports Academy, Sea Cadet Corps, and also one foreign participant namely Mr. Eric McGaw, an experienced Hobie sailing enthusiast. More entries are expected.

Talking about the Zoom class international meets which are to be held later, Pradipak said that the Zoom class of boats were ideally suited to the physique of Indian sailors and would help a promising young sailor to graduate easily from the Optimist class to the Laser class.

"Ideally speaking an youngster taking to the sport should start with Optimist, then Zoom and then the Laser Radial class before finally taking on the Laser standard," said Pradipak. — Our Special Correspondent

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