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Sailors' paradise
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The Hyderabad Sailing Week will see seasoned campaigners, promising new comers and the largest field of women sailors participating across the 36-race championship
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PHOTO: MOHAMMED YOUSUF
REGATTA CALLING Sailors from the twin cities can look forward to some breezy times
Come monsoons and Hussain Sagar is all set to host the Hyderabad Sailing Week. The lake's placid waters have seen the talent and careers of young yachtsmen bloom from beginners to seasoned hands.
It is this annual championship that has shaped the fortunes of Rajesh Chaudhary, R. Mahesh, Nitin Mongia, Kelly Rao and many others. Old-timers cannot forget the intense rivalry between C.S. Pradipak and Captain Pillai in the 80s that set the tone for some highly competitive racing.
Over the years, the regatta has grown as the field is being thrown open wider to embrace various categories of competition. This year's Laser National sailing championships will be held from August 6 to 12. The new categories that have been added include the youth Laser 4.7 for sailors between the age of 12 and 18, the Laser Standard Youth and Laser Radial Youth for under 19 years, the Apprentice Masters (35 to 44 years), the Masters (45 to 54 years) and the Grand Masters (55 to 64 years).
The new sections have been introduced to conform to the groupings of the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, to be held by the year-end. International Sailing Federation (ISAF) International Judge (IJ) C.S. Pradipak will be Chairman of the Jury, while Lt. Col. (Retd.) Mohinder Pal Jaggi will be the Principal Race Officer.
The six-day, 36-race event will be held under the aegis of the Laser Class Association of India (LCAI). whose President is Lt. General Arvind Mahajan, Commandant, Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME). Many well-known sailors from the twin cities will also be in the fray. Among them are Arjun Pradipak, Anirudh Vijay Kumar, G. Sandeep, Dinesh Boorugu and Nagesh Boorugu.
They will, however, have to put in their very best to vie for the honours. Chaudhury will be hard to dislodge from the top, although N.S. Johal is expected to give the former a stiff fight. Some seasoned campaigners cannot be ruled out either such as R. Mahesh, Naresh Yadav and K.S. Saini.
Also adding colour to the competition is the largest field, to date, of women sailors. Rohini Rau had it easy last time and her wider experience will hold her in good stead. Some of the newcomers may however spring a surprise.
The world's most popular sailboat, the Laser is a single-handed Olympic class craft. It has been tried and tested in varying conditions and it's Standard version bears a full rig in contrast to Radial that has a smaller sail and better suited to light-bodied sailors.
An occupation and sport that has fascinated literary luminaries such as Ernest Hemingway and Jack London, it not only pit's man's skills against his own kind, but also against the nature.
Rival tactics need to be watched as closely as wind shifts, for one wrong move could find you several boat lengths behind! Depending on which way the wind blows, a triangular or trapezoid course will become the arena of action.
A. JOSEPH ANTONY
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