Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: At the recently concluded AGM of the Yachting Association of India (YAI), the Life Time Achievement Award was conferred upon Cesar Menezes, President Emeritus of Goa Yachting Assciation (GYA) for his outstanding contribution to the sport of sailing in India.
The Award was presented by President of YAI Adm. Sunil Lamba, retired Chief of Naval Staff. This is the highest recognition for an individual’s contribution to the sport of sailing in India.
Cesar Menezes was instrumental in the formation of the Goa Yachting Association in 1973 and was its founding General Secretary.
Cesar also participated in the State championships in the enterprise class and won the gold for several years. He represented Goa at the National Championships in the Enterprise class and put up a creditable performance.
He organised the Enterprise World Championship in Goa in 1997 and again in 2002.
He organised the OK Dinghy World Championship in association with the Army in 2003 in Goa.
He has organised the Goa State Sailing Championship for almost 40 years and now for the past 5 years has been a part of the organizing committee as Mentor and President Emeritus.
In 1980, when Windsurfing became a popular sailing class abroad, Cesar formed the Windsurfing Association of India (name later changed to Board Sailing Association of India), and helped promote and popularize windsurfing in Goa and all over India. He hosted the first National Windsurfing Championship in Goa in February 1980.
Over the years, he purchased dozens of windsurfing boards and helped Goans excel in the sport. Due to his efforts, Goans have dominated the sport of Windsurfing in India winning golds for more than 30 years over the past 39 years.
