MORJIM: Phillipe Dartnell was the leading kite surfer after two races were sailed at the Goa International Sailing Week at Morjim beach, on Friday.
No races were held on Thursday because the wind wasn’t strong enough. Max Laphskiy and Derrick Menezes were tied in second place while Rahul Malani was in third place.
Kite surfing is a glamorous and fast growing sport internationally. Sailors are tethered to a kite made of parachute fabric, which propels them at high speeds across the water and also enabled them to make incredible leaps into the air, do somersaults and other tricks.
The International Olympic Committee is presently considering whether to make kite surfing an Olympic discipline.
Goa is the absolute headquarters of kite surfing in India. When the wind is strong enough, over a dozen parachutes can be seen off the rolling surf of Morjim, where kite surfers from all over the world take off on seemingly death defying leaps as they ride off the crests of the waves and into the air before coming down on their boards.
The Goa International Sailing Week, being conducted at Morjim by the Chapora Bay Yacht Club and the Goa Yachting Association (GYA), is the very first competition for kite surfers in India. Lasers, Laser Radials, Hobie Cats, Toppers and Windsurfers are the other classes participating in this mega-sailing event.
While the Lasers, Laser Radials and Toppers are launched from the Marina Solutions jetty at the Temb Vaddo in the Chapora Bay, the Windsurfers, Kite Surfers and Hobie Catamarans are launching from the Montego Bay Beach at Vithaldas Vaddo in the same village.
Rakesh Yadav, who won both of yesterday’s races in Laser Std, fell back today because he was disqualified on a technicality from Race 5. Sachin Singha continued in the lead in Laser Radial, though he conceded Races 3 and 4 to club compatriot Dileep Kumar. Koteshwar Rao of Trishna Sailing Club, Bengaluru continued to lead the Toppers, with Avanti Menon of the Royal Madras Yacht Club second and Diya Correa of the Royal Bombay Yacht Club tied on points, though Avanti was ahead on a technicality.
In boards, Eabad Ali was overall first, with Ishwar Dayal second and Rahul Choudhary third. Hobie Cats saw Jaspreet Singh ahead, with Goa’s Ajay Patel second and Chandrashekhar third.
Results: Std: Race 3: (1) Rakesh Yadav (2) Israj Ali (3) Mahavir Kumavat. Race 4: (1) Rakesh Yadav, (2) M K Yadav, (3) Israj Ali. Race 5: (1) M K Yadav, (2) Israj Ali (3) Mahavir Kumavat. Radial Race 3: (1) Dileep Kumar (2) Sachin Singha, (3) A Srinu. Race 4: (1) Dileep Kumar (2) Sachin Singha, (3) A Srinu. Race 5: (1) Sachin Singha (2) Dileep Kumar (3) A Srinu.
Toppers Race 3: (1) Koteshwar Rao (2) Diya Correa, (3) Avanti Menon. Race 4: (1) Koteshwar Rao (2) Avanti Menon (3) Diya Correa. Race 5: (1) Koteshwar Rao (2) Diya Correa, (3) Avanti Menon.
Boards Race 3: (1) Eabad Ali (2) Kamlapati, (3) Ishwar Dayal. Race 4: (1) Eabad Ali (2) Kamlapati, (3) Ishwar Dayal. Race 5: (1) Eabad Ali (2) Kamlapati, (3) Ishwar Dayal
Hobbies Cats Race 3: (1) Jaspreet Singh (2) Ajay Patel (3) Chandrashekhar. Race 4: (1) Jaspreet Singh (2) Ajay Patel (3) Chandrashekhar. Race 5: (1) Jaspreet Singh (2) Ajay Patel (3) Chandrashekhar.
