Indian sailors take day 1 honours

India took the honours on day one of the Asian Sailing Championships 2004, winning eight races out of a total of 28 sailed on the four courses spread out over the Mumbai Harbour and the Girgaum Chowpatty Backbay, in Mumbai, on Friday.

Korea were a close second with six wins followed by China and Singapore with three each.

Over 150 sailors from 14 Asian countries are competing for continental honours.

Racing started behind schedule, owing to the late onset of the afternoon sea breeze. Laser (full rig) sailor Rajesh Choudhury and world OK Dinghy champion Nitin Mongia dominated their respective categories, comprehensively winning both the races in their respective classes.

The same level of dominance was shown by Chinese windsurfer Gao Chuan Wei in the light men's category (under 70 kg) and by the Indonesian windsurfer Sulakshana Oka, in the heavy men's category, both of whom won their respective races.

In other results, former 420 class world champions Farokh Tarapore and Vikas Kapila won the first race but managed only third position in race 2.

Young Snehal Dasai won the second race in the under-15 optimist category while Shilpa Oberoi and Neha Maheshwari won the second race in the 420 girls' category. Naresh Yadav and C L

Yadav won race 2 in the Enterprise category but could only manage a third in race 1.

The Pakistani contingent had its share of glory too, as Arshad Sherar and Muhammed Raiz came first in race 1 in the Enterprise category while Muhammad Tanveer were second in both races in the windsurfing heavy men's category.

Racing tomorrow will start at 2 pm, with races 3 and 4 to be sailed at all four courses at both venues.