Date:08/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/08/stories/2008080862452200.htm

Sport - Sailing

Rajesh back on top

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Rajesh Choudhary regained his position at the top in the Standard category of the Laser Nationals at the Hussain Sagar, clinching both the races sailed on Thursday in convincing fashion.

The day’s concluding race was a case in point for the superior skills of the two-time Asian Games bronze medallist, overlooked for the Arjuna Award in this year’s honours list as well. He preferred to set out from port side rather than opt for the more advantageous starboard start that most of the fleet plumbed for.

On the opening beat, the wind dropped drastically from a gusty 14 to 20 knots to between six and eight, calling for shrewd tactics to chart the shortest course to the windward mark. When he veered way to the right on the second upwind leg, Choudhary seemed to plough a lonely furrow.

Rich dividends

From that gambit, he reaped rich dividends, rushing in from the right at least a quarter of a leg ahead of his nearest competitor. On the run, the next beat and triangle, there was no looking back for the Bihar-born yachtsman, who has ruled these waters for over a decade.

Gajender Singh, but for conceding the lead in the second beat, held sway for most of the way in the Radial class, while for 13-year-old Aman Mohan Vyas, the laurels in the 4.7 section were entirely his for Thursday.

Vyas is among half a dozen youngsters from the National Sailing School, Bhopal, who figured among the top six in both the 4.7 races, providing enough cause for pride to Lt. Col. Milind Prabhu, the officer in charge of the institution and its sailing instructor Madhu.

The results:

Laser Standard VII: 1. Rajesh Choudhary 2. B.K. Rout 3. Jasvir Singh (all AYN). VIII: 1. Rajesh Choudhary 2. Jasvir Singh 3. B.K. Rout.

Laser 4.7 VII: 1. Aman Mohan Vyas (NSS) 2. Sarav Rajavelu (TNSA) 3. Xerxes Bamboat (RBYC). VIII: 1. Aman Mohan Vyas 2. Sidra Sabir 3. Ajay Singh Baghel (all NSS).

Laser Radial VII: 1. Gajender Singh 2. Sukhvir Singh 3. Parvinder Singh (all AYN). VIII: 1. Gajender Singh 2. Sukhvir Singh 3. Parvinder Singh (all AYN).