The Army Yachting Node (AYN) continued to hold sway over the Laser National championships, sweeping all three top positions in four of nine races held at the Hussain Sagar on Thursday.
Most dominant of the Mumbai outfit’s sailors was Jasvir Singh, winning two of three races in the full rig and losing prime position in the other by a whisker to compatriot Gajender Singh.
Sailing under a densely overcast sky, conditions prevailing would have tested the best.
Wind speeds ranged between 15 and 25 knots, with capsizes aplenty, one victim being Jasvir himself. Interestingly, the lake turned as placid as a sheet of glass minutes after the buoys were picked up, as if in a secret deal with nature.
Jasvir was quick to shake off the setback in the closing race’s third reach, much as he would the dust off his shirt-sleeve, ensuring he never slipped below fifth position when turning at the marks.
The penalty of a 720 in the standard set’s first race cost him dear but never one to give up without a fight, the wiry six-footer was inches behind Gajender as the latter got the gun.
Provisional results:
Laser Radial: Race 1: 1. Gaurav Randhawa (INWTC, Mumbai) 2. Bikram Mahapathra (AYN) 3. Dilip Kumar (EMESA). Race 2: 1. Sharif Khan 2. Harpreet Singh 3. Ramesh Kumar (all AYN). Race 3: 1. Ramesh Kumar 2. Sharif Khan 3. Amandeep Singh (all AYN).
Laser Standard: Race 1: Gajender Singh 2. Jasvir Singh 3. Dharmender Singh (all AYN). Race 2: 1. Jasvir Singh 2. K.K. Pande 3. Naveen Kumar (all AYN). Race 3: 1. Jasvir Singh (AYN) 2. B.K. Rout (EMESA) 3. Gitesh (AYN).
Laser 4.7: Race 1: 1. Vir Menon 2. Dheer Singhi (both RMYC) 3. Tarun Bhatia (SSC). Race 2: 1. Tarun Bhatia (SSC) 2. Ahad Rahim (TNSA) 3. Dheer Singhi (RMYC). Race 3: 1. Vir Menon (RMYC) 2. Tarun Bhatia (SSC) 3. Ravindhar M. (TNSA).
