Salil steals the show

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MAY 25. Two races in the National Coastal Optimist sailing championship for under 15 escaped the wrath of sea wind, but the third and final event of the day, which 13-year-old Salil Sabir of Goa Yachting Club won, ran into rough weather literally and made it tough for the youngsters.

All the three races today were won by different sailors, but Salil took the top honours for handling the boat so well under trying conditions. Salil, who finished 30th in the Asian Optimist championship at Dubai this year, led from start to finish. The Goa boy was not perturbed by the wind measuring about 12 to 14 knots and the fact that five dinghes had capsized. It was a brave show considering the weather conditions and the challenge from the strong Mumbai contingent. Even the course was rearranged for the third race because of the wind.

The first race started on time with Rohit Singh of Sea Cadet Corps, Mumbai, taking an early lead. He finished first, but the race was not without fight. Both Salil Sabir and Ninad Mayekar of Sea Cadet Corps engaged Rohit constantly, challenging him in the course. Even the promising local lad Rohit Ashok made use of his experience in the local conditions after the end of the first triangle. He appeared from nowhere at the leeward mark to finish third. It was an exciting contest.

A sharp finish made the second race more interesting. Rohit Singh once again had a good start but at the windward mark it was Ninad Mayekar who rounded first. He made the best use of the conditions in the first leg to establish a lead of one and a half minutes at the gybe mark (against the wind) of the first triangle with Rohit and Salil following. However, the second windward leg tow saw Salil surge strongly to cut down the lead to a fraction of a second. But Mayekar managed to hang on to win.

The results:

Third race: 1. Rohit Singh (Sea Cadet CSA, Mumbai); 2. Ninad Mayekar (SCCSA); 3. Rohit Ashok (RMYC, Chennai).

Fourth race: 1. Ninad Mayekar (SCCSA); 2. Salil Sabir (Goa YA); 3. Rohit Singh (SCCSA).

Fifth race: 1. Salil Sabir (Goa YA); 2. Rohit Ashok (RMYC); 3. Ninad Mayekar (SCCSA).

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