The participants of the Raymond India International Regatta found themselves wishing for wind on the second day of the competition in the Bay of Bengal, off Chennai Harbour, on Thursday.
In the limited sailing that was possible, Peter Lin Janezic and Lea Dora of Slovenia — a brother-sister team — won the third race in the 29er category. And India’s Janaki Balachandar finished first in Race 2 of the Laser 4.7 class.
The officials and the sailors had to endure a difficult time, with the low winds necessitating shifting of the marks repeatedly. Only one race each in the 29er class and the Laser 4.7 category could be conducted; there was no race in the optimist class.
In the past two days, just three of the required six races in the 29er, two in the laser 4.7 and just one in the optimist class have been completed. It now looks increasingly likely that there will be fleet racing, instead of the team racing, planned for the Optimists.
The wind began from the West, and the race committee went North of the harbour to lay the course.
For about two hours, the land breeze was between three to six knots. At about 11 a.m., the wind shifted 220 degrees southward but still remained very low.
The Race Committee followed the wind and moved South to the right side of the harbour.
An hour later, gusts of breeze started coming from 70 degrees, and the sailors ventured out. However, by the time the marks were laid, the wind moved to the East. The marks had to be shifted.
Difficult day
Principal Race Officer Ilker Bayindir said: “It was a very difficult day. The wind was not only low for most past but it was shifting — picking up, and dropping in speed again. There were times when the wind was just one, two or zero knots. Then it went up to seven before long came back to one or two again.”
“The sailors were waiting for directions from us. But the conditions permitted very little sailing.
“There is a time limit for every race as well. The maximum limit for the Optimist class is 60 minutes, it is 40 minutes for the 29ers and 60 for the Lasers.”
In the 29er class, New Zealand’s Markus and Isaac led initially. The slovenian siblings, however, caught up in the second loop and went on to win the race.
The Kiwis ended up second and the Netherlands, in the 3rd place.
Ganapathy and Varun (TNSA) finished fourth to retain their second position overall.
In the Laser 4.7 class, the Indians continue to impress. TNSA’s Janaki, who has graduated from the Optimist class, won the race beating experienced sailors such as Upamanyu who finished second. Dheer SIngh, who came third, heads the field in the Laser 4.7 fleet overall.
Janaki, getting ahead of Nethra, leads among the girls.
Provisional Results (Day two): Optimist - No races.
Laser 4.7: Race 2 : 1. Janaki Balachander (India), 2. Upamanyu Dutta (India), 3. Dheer Singhi (India).
Overall: 1. Dheer SInghi (India) 5 points, 2. Shikar Garg (India) 8; 3. Koteswara Rao (India) 10.
29er : Race 3 : 1. Peter Lin Janezic & Lea Dora Janezic (Slovenia), 2. Markus Somerville & Isaac McHardie (New Zealand), 3. Joris Waller & Daniel Bramervaer (Netherlands)
Overall: 1. Peter Lin Janezic & Lea Dora Janezic (SLO) 3 points, 2. Ganapathy & Varun Thakkar (India) 8, 3. Markus Somerville & Isaac McHardie (NZ) 11 pts.
