PANJIM: Kira Zucher and Ishaan Roy were crowned Kiteboarding Champions of the YAI National Kiteboarding and Windsurfing Championships 2024 after races on the last day were called off due to bad winds at Montego Bay, Vithaldas Vaddo-Morjim, on Sunday.
“The winners were declared based on the results of the last 12 races held in the previous three days,” stated a race official Sharma, whilst also declaring Alexandre Ostanin as the runners-up and Sidharth GL at third position.
Last year’s winner Keona Rajani from Goa finished second and Carol Muillez third in the Women Section of Kiteboarding.
Eighteen-year-old Sachin Ganesh from Tamil Nadu was declared IQ Foil champion. N S Rawat and M Padhan representing Goa finished second and third respectfully.
“I am happy to win amongst seniors,” stated Ganesh after the results were declared.
Kamlapati from Bhopal joined his colleague D P Chenniahto claim the second slot in windsurfing and Narayan Munda from Orissa finished third.
“The championship was vibrant as always in Goa. The josh, the positive energy one gets in Goa adds a special charm to the event when held here,” stated Captain Dikshit, secretary of Yachting Association of India (YAI), at the end of the competition.
DP Chennaiah from Bhopal and 10-year-old Naavya Kaku from Mumbai won the Men and U-19 Women Kiteboarding Championships respectively on the penultimate day.
Chennaiah and Kaku registered unassailable leads on the penultimate day leaving the last day to decide who finishes second and third.
With the winds being slow, no races were conducted in the IQ foil category leaving Sachin Ganesh in the lead and N Rawat representing Goa second.
Ishan Roy from Tamil Nadu took pole position in men Kiteboarding section having stood first in five of his six races and second in the other. Alexandre Ostanin is in second position with thirteen points.
Kira Zucher kept impressing in the women’s category, finishing first, second and third in her last three races to finish with eighteen points. Goa’s Keona Rajani finished fourth, third and fourth in her last three races.
Kira, Keona and Caro Muillez qualified for the silver fleet which will determine the winners in the women category tomorrow.
Goa’s Derrick Menezes, Siddharath GL, reigning champion Jothi Basu, Durga Prasad, Karrupasamy S, K Murugesan and Massimilano Altabel qualified for the silver fleet to determine the winners in the men’s category.
