Hyderabadi sailors shine at Langkawi Regatta, win gold and two silvers

Hyderabadi sailors achieved historic success at the Langkawi Youth International Regatta, winning one gold and two silver medals. Competing against top Asian nations, they impressed in light winds. Telangana topped India’s medal tally, with nine overall medals across categories

Hyderabad: Hyderabadi sailors produced their finest performance abroad in history at the recent Langkawi Youth International Regatta  against a host of Asian countries bagging one gold and two silver in fiercely fought racing albeit light weather conditions .

Thanuja Kameshwar and Shravan Kathrawath won gold in the International 420 mixed doubles  under 19 class gliding past Deekshita Komaravelly and Ganesh Peerkatla who bagged the silver .

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Of the 6 races sailed Thanuja and Shravan won 3 races and got one second position and Deekshita and Ganesh won one race and got two 2nds. Good consistent racing was their hallmark.

Lahiri Komaravelly bagged the silver in the under 15 Single Hander Optimist Class but deprived herself of the gold by returning to the start line misreading a flag signal after leading the fleet and losing that race badly landing in 28th position after a string of single digit finishes. She got one win and finished overall 10 amongst 81 sailors. Lahiri remains ranked India No.1 for the season.

“The Indians left the international fleet stunned with a total of 9 medals across the board at the international coming back with the biggest ever haul at a Junior International and Telangana tops with five,”. Suheim Sheikh, head coach said.

“With the wind light and fluky and a mild tide, the conditions at Langkawi were challenging and yet our sailors did better than the locals and as well as from countries like Hongkong , China , Thailand and many south and south east asian countries,” he said.

‘We have been practicing a lot because of the Monsoon Regatta at Hussain Sagar and this year it was a lot easier for us as we reached Malaysia just a few days after intense racing in Hyderabad that kept us well prepared for the Langkawi racing “, said Thanuja Kameshwar who lives at Rasoolpura in Begumpet and won the gold medal in the under 19 International 420 Class of boat.

“I have never been as proud of our team from Telangana and India as on this trip as we have got only one bronze in the past at Oman and this is a rich haul of 5 sailors at the podium . The sailors are preparing for a few domestic regattas and then for the Asians in Musannah Oman and we hope to get them good exposure at a few more internationals before closing their junior careers at Oman”, said Suheim Sheikh.

The teams are all back from Malaysia and to school and college while training for the next Hussain Sagar Regattas commences on 1 July where all of them will sail again. The next Internationals will be at Singapore and Oman unless a few of them decide to travel abroad for individual training before the designated internationals.