National sailing championship begins

Hyderabad: Promising exciting action on sails, the Laser National Sailing Championship 2013 got underway at the picturesque Hussain Sagar lake on Wednesday.

Andhra Pradesh Tourism and Sports Minister Vatti Vasant Kumar inaugurated the championship which will be held till July 28. About 120 sailors from all over the country are expected to participate in the event, being conducted by the Laser Class Association of India (LCAI). The competition will be held Laser, 4.7, Standard and Radial categories. Lt General S M Mehta, Commandant, Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME) and Col Commandant Corps of EME Sailing Association said Hussain Sagar lake provided a conducive atmosphere for sailing. He also mentioned that India has the potential to achieve many medals in sailing in prestigious championships like Olympics. Brig. Rajaram, Rear Commodore of EME Sailing Association said that the objective behind organising such an event is to promote the eco-friendly sport, adding that top sailors from all over the country are participating in the event. "Laser class is Olympic class and is gaining popularity amongst sportsmen and spectators," he said. According to the organisers of the event, there have been queries from Asia Pacific countries as well for participation in the event. Captain Soli Contractor, the government observer for the event, said that more women are also coming forward to participate. Among the 120 entries, 31 will participate in Standard category, 60 in Radial and 29 in 4.7, the organisers added. The Laser Class Association of India (LCAI) is conducting these championship since 1986 (including hosting Asia Pacific Laser International Championship in May 2001 at Hyderabad), they added. PTI