The Hindu : Sport / Sailing : Varun Thakkar and Niveditha claim titles

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Sport - Sailing

Varun Thakkar and Niveditha claim titles

Principal Correspondent

— Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

CHAMPIONS: Varun Thakkar and Niveditha Ravi Verman took honours in the DP World National Optimist coastal u-16 sailing championship on Wednesday.

CHENNAI: Varun Thakkar and Niveditha Ravi Verman, both of Tamil Nadu Sailing Association, clinched the boys’ and girls’ championships titles in the DP World National Optimist coastal under-16 sailing championship, which concluded at the Chennai Harbour here on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s races turned out to be a fight for the top spot between Hussain Bhavnagarvala and Varun.

Hussain tried his best to get ahead and despite having a good start and covering Varun on the different legs, he found the latter not giving him any quarter.

Bhopal’s Aman Vyas, who stood third in the championship, found his rigging coming off during the race in the brisk wind and swollen sea.

However, his good finishes ensured that he retained his third place in the championship.

Varsha wins

Shwetha Sadanandan, who was last year’s champion, emerged second in the girls’ section. Behind her was the under-10 champion at last year’s Inland Nationals in Bhopal, Varsha Gautham. She also received the under-12 championship title.

The top five boys and two girls will represent India in several international tournaments including Al Bareh Regatta in Bahrain (June 17-21) and Asian championship in Indonesia (October 7 to 13) and International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) Asian championship in Doha (October 24 to November 1).

The top four sailors will take part in the South Asian Yachting Regatta scheduled to be held either in Pakistan or India, the dates of which have not been finalised.

The results:

Boys: 1. Varun Thakkar (TNSA), 2. Hussain Bhavnagarvala (TNSA), 3. Aman Vyas (NSS Bhopal), 4. Rufus K Patrick, (TNSA) , 5. Praveen Prabhakar (TNSA).

Girls: 1. Nivedita Ravi Verman (TNSA), 2. Shwetha Sadanandan (TNSA).

Wednesday’s races: