Optimist nationals: TN sailors to fore in practice race

Chennai, May 5 (UNI) The National Optimist Sailing championships began with the hoisting of the TNSA burgee and 46 boats in the start line setting off for the practice race in the waters of the Bay of Bengal off Chennai Port here today.

With a clear sky and the waters just right for sailing, the wind speed was seven to nine knots, averaging eight.

Varun Thakkar of Tamil Nadu Sailing Association (TNSA) had a great start followed by Arisuddan Seth of Mumbai, with Gerad Ambrose of TNSA close on his heels.

The fleet split East and South as the wind was South-Easterly and the star board trackers found the going quite easy. The first sailor round the windward mark was Varun Thakkar. He built up a formidable lead to finish first eventually.

Arisuddan Seth and Gerad Ambrose held their positions to finish second and third, respectively till the leeward mark which is the last.

However, Arisuddan Seth in trying to ward off a challenge from TNSA's Gerad Ambrose inadvertently touched the mark and had to do a penalty. This cost him his second position just yards before the finish line and had to be content with a third position.

Finishing behind them was Sheldon de Mello, a sailor from Goa Yachting Association. Nishanth Chandrashekar of TNSA, who had finished third at the Inland Optimist Nationals last year in Pune, finished fifth.

Out of the top ten positions, seven went to the TNSA.

UNI