Date:27/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/27/stories/2006042704152100.htm

Sport - Sports : General

National optimist coastal championship from May 1

Special Correspondent

Mumbai: India's small fleet of 50 odd single-handed dinghies in the optimist class (under-16) will rough it out off the Indian Watermanship Training Centre (INWTC), Pilot Bunder, for a week in the ABN-AMRO National optimist coastal championship from May 1.

Speaking at a press conference at the Royal Bombay Yacht Club, three-time Olympian and two-time World champion in the enterprise and 420 class, Farokh Tarapore said: "One out of 400 optimist class sailors in the world is an Olympian. When I started sailing, there was no optimist class. I began in the cadet class."

The Sea Cadet Corps (SCC) Association, Mumbai, tops the list with 16 entries, followed by Tamil Nadu Sailing Association, which has sent in 12 entries. Young sailors from the Royal Bombay Yacht Club, Colaba Sailing Association, Goa Yachting Association have also entered the competition.

"The optimistic class is a small and simple dinghy, which appears like a bath tub,'' said event president Soli Contractor.