An open championship

PUNE, June 9: With the return of big names in sailing, the 14th edition of the National Inland Enterprise Championship promises stiff com...

PUNE, June 9: With the return of big names in sailing, the 14th edition of the National Inland Enterprise Championship promises stiff competition.

Organised by the Naval Training team, National Defence Academy, 49 teams will pit wits and sails against each other for the coveted crown at National Defence Academy’s (NDA) Peacock Bay from tomorrow.

Defending champions Naresh Yadav and Sanjeev of the Naval Sailing Club (NSC), Mumbai, who made it quite easily last year have a task on hand to claim top honours in a star studded contest.

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Nitin Mongia, Shakeel Kudrolli, Major R Datta along with Lt R Mahesh — internationals of repute who were not present last year — will set off between the picturesque hills of Khadakwasala.

“It is one of those wide open championships, and the return of the stars has added more colour to the event,” said Commander PM Agarwal who leads the conducting team of 40.

The championship has attracted over 68 teams from all over the country, with 21 teams already making for the championship, 28 others were selected of 45 in the elimination round here today. With the conditions ideal for the championship, the amateurs had a field day.

Each team will sail seven races between June 9 to 12 of which one race can be discarded with the final race slated for June 12. The boats to be used by the teams during the championship will be decided on the basis of draws to be held on June 9, according Commander Agarwal.

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With this event gaining ground, a new body, the Poona District Boat Association, affiliated to the national body this year, has fielded the maximum of 12 teams.

The NDA sailing Club, the oldest in the country, has been organising this water sport event since 1982 the championship being its annual showpieceIt was here the great names of water sport in the country such as Cmde Mongia, Farooque Tarapore, Monty Khanna, Kelly Rao, Motiwala and Pushpender Garg to name a few were baptised.