Sea spray in your hair
RESHMI JAIMON
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Water sports sure is exciting. A glimpse of the action.
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Photo: Vipin Chandran
Thrilling: Yachts participating in the Volvo Ocean Race.
Water sports remain alien to most children and parents in India. The recently concluded 10-day Kochi stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race showed them what life on water and on the high seas can be like. Some children were frequent visitors to the race village, to see the eight racing yachts and the various exhibits there.
Yohan, Std IV, Global Public School, likes speedboats--“It looked real when I took a ride in the simulator where the gruelling life on board the racing yachts was replicated.”
Yachts (or sailing boats) were unknown to most children till they visited the race village. Savio Joseph Attokaran, Std I, Sandeepani Vidya Nikethan, Kuttumukku, Thrissur, travelled all the way to Kochi to see yachts for the first time. He has a favourite team - “Ercisson 4,” about which his father often talks.
Seeing the exhibition and experiencing the simulator ride made the children know more of what the sailors face at sea. Some of them were terrified with the scenes shown, while some others found it exciting.
Earnest Lesiley, 9th standard student of St. George HS, Edapally, says, “Given a chance, I will participate in the race.” His brother, Immanuel Lesiley, Std VIII, too was among the children who frequently visit the village.
Exhilarating
For Devi Priya N.S, a Std IX student of STPL G.V.H.S.S, Palluruthy, the ride was scary. And she admitted she is at present not ready to take such risks.
The general impression is that if there are more hands-on events for children to experience water sports, they will show more interest.
Paragliding was among the events hosted at the race village. Malavika S Menon, a Std III student of Bhavans Vidya Mandir, Girinagar, was enthused by the event.
She is not very scared of water, and is active in sports, including swimming.
For the senior students, it was a rare opportunity to discover the opportunities in water sports. Naveen Ravindran, Std XI, S.R.V Govt. Model H.S.S, appreciated the dedication that sailors show towards yachting, risking their life. Their team work and rigorous training impressed him.
Like many other children, Naveen missed getting a chance to speak to the sailors.
The race’s Kochi stopover motivated many young minds to know there are avenues opening up in water sports, which boosts one’s health and can be taken up as a leisure activity or sports.
Quite simply the ‘Everest of Sailing’, the Volvo Ocean Race involves competing teams sailing across 37,000 nautical miles of the globe’s most treacherous seas.
The event which started in Alicante, Spain, on October 4, 2008 will visit 11 ports around the world.
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