Defending champion Gajender Singh of AYN took a step closer to achieving his goal of retaining the title, when he won two back-to-back races in the 26th National Laser sailing championships at the Hussainsagar lake here on Friday.
Another sailor who scored a double today was Varsha Gautam of TNSA in the Laser 4.7 fleet.
The Laser Standard fleet saw stiff competition in all the three races conduced today.
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In the fifth race of the series, Jasvir Singh of AYN gave a very good performance to lead from start to finish. In second place was Gaurav Randhawa of INWTC Mumbai, who made his presence felt for the first time among the top sailors.
In the sixth race, Sukhvir Singh had the lead for five legs. But Gajender then struck form and reading the winds perfectly, overtook the leader to win the race. Naveen, who was lying sixth, initially moved up to finish third.
In the seventh race, the lead changed hands frequently as Gajender, Pandey and Naveen fought it out. But it was Gajender who took the lead at the first mark and thereafter did not yield his position.
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In the 4.7 fleet, Varsha Gautam put in a good performance. In the fifth race, Shiv Rakhi was leading initially but fell back after the first triangle. Varsha overtook him to win.
In the sixth race, Varsha led from start to finish. The others were left to fight it out for second and third positions and eventually it was Prince Noble who came second and Nanda Raikwar third.
The results: Laser Standard: Race 5: 1. Jasvir Singh (AYN), 2. Gaurav Randhawa (INWTC-M), 3. Naveen Kumar (AYN), 4. Virendra Singh (INWTC-M), 5. Gajender Singh (AYN), 6. K.K. Pandey (AYN).
Race 6: 1. Gajender Singh (AYN), 2. Jasvir Singh (AYN), 3. Naveen Kumar (AYN), 4. K.K. Pandey (AYN), 5. Sukhvir Singh (AYN), 6. Gitesh Kumar (AYN).
Race 7: 1. Gajender Singh (AYN), 2. Jasvir Singh (AYN), 3. Sukhvir Singh (AYN), 4. Gurjeet Singh (AYN), 5. Naveen Kumar (AYN), 6. Gitesh Kumar (AYN).
Laser Radial: Race 8: 1. Ramesh Kumar (AYN), 2. Bikram Mohapatra (AYN), 3. Xerxes Bamboat (RBYC), 4. Dharmender Sigh (AYN), 5. Sekhar Singh Yadav (AYN), Dhamendra (CESC).
Race 9: 1. Varun Thakkar (TNSA), 2. Alekhya Sudam (SSC), 3. Xerxes Bamboat (RBYC), 4. Mrinalini Santhanam (TNSA), 5. Rakesh Yadav (NSS), 6. D.K. Acharya (INWTC).
Laser 4.7: Race 5: 1. Varsha Gautam (TNSA), 2. Varun Thakkar (TNSA), 3. Shiv Rakhi (RMYC), 4. Price Noble (MYC), 5. Ekta Yadav (NSS), 6. Danesh Motiwala (RBYC).
Race 6: 1. Varsha Gautam (TNSA), 2. Prince Noble (MYC), 3. Nanda Raikwar (NSS), 4. Ravindhar (TNSA), 5. Varun Thakkar (TNSA), 6. Vikas Singh (CESC).
Race 7: 1. Meghanaa B.T. (TNSA), 2. Varsha Gautam (TNSA), 3. Ajay Singh Baghel (NSS), 4. Nanda Raikwar (NSS), 5. Zephra Currimbhoy (RMYC), 6. Ekta Yadav (NSS).