Ahoy! Hyderabad sailors put up a spectacular show as sailing season kicks off in the city

There was a splash of colour at the

Hussain Sagar

, as the 9th Inland Hobie-16 Open

Sailing

Championship concluded on June 27. The four-day event witnessed participation from 32 sailors divided into 16 teams from across the country. The competition was fierce and the view was spectacular, as the sailors put on a show for sailing enthusiasts who gathered by the lake to witness the sporting action.
Hyderabadi sailors, Kaushal Kumar and Gireesh M put up an excellent show and clinched the second position in the Gold Fleet category after falling short to Mumbai’s Pawan Kumar and Nithin K by a mere two races. The Hyderabadi duo managed to win 3 out of the 10 races, as opposed to Pawan and Nithin’s 5.

Speaking about his experience, Kaushal said, “This year’s Hobie-16 championship has been a very competitive one. When Gireesh and I were practising, the speed of wind was at 4 to 5 knots, but during the competition, it went up to 15 knots. Dealing with gusty and shifty winds was a huge challenge, but we did our best to maximise our performance.”
Kaushal has been sailing with Gireesh for the last 10 years and the duo has bagged 13 gold medals in various sailing championships around the country.
Humble as ever, Gireesh says their achievement is a result of team work and determination, as well as a passion for the sport.

“We have a great chemistry between us while sailing. Before taking any decision during competitions, we discuss all the aspects and only then take a call. We just fell short of the top spot because Pawan and Nithin are based in Mumbai and the city gets good winds during the month of June. Whereas the speed of wind only gets better in Hyderabad only during late June and July. we couldn’t practise to our full potential as a result of this, and we fell short by two races,” he says.

Every year, the sailing season in Hyderabad beckons sailors from all over as the city hosts some of the most sought-after championships in the country. With the sailing season getting underway, there’s plenty more in store for those who’d like to witness the action. the much awaited Hyderabad Sailing Week will commence from July 4, while the three-day Telangana Open will begin from July 9 and the Monsoon Regatta, which will be a national ranking championship this year, will kick off from July 12.