Civilian teams win UNIFI Capital Offshore Regatta championship | Chennai News - Times of India

Source: The Times of India

Chennai: Braving the scorching heat and towering waves, for the first time civilian teams emerged winners in the UNIFI Capital Offshore Regatta held between May 1 and 5. Ever since the event started in 2021, navy sailing teams have bagged the championship.

While the Royal Madras Yacht Club (RMYC) Ennore Centre, with Murugan Nadar at the helm came first, the CRPF team helmed by Chinna Reddy came second and the third position was bagged by the Royal Madras Yacht Club helmed by Shubham Pillai.

The event was ranked into the gold and silver fleet. The gold fleet consisted of the top 3 teams. The silver fleet consisted of the Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre - Mumbai, the Yachting Association of Maharashtra, and the Umiam Sailing Club. Each team consisted of seven members. The golden fleet raced 2 legs -- from Chennai to Mahabalipuram and back -- a distance of 100km and the silver fleet raced from Chennai to Kamarajar Port and back covering a distance of 40km.

"The weather was hot, sapping the sailors' energy. Two-metre-high waves were drenching all sailors. The winds with strong south-westerly winds were a challenge too. Leg 1 was sailing upwind and the race took about 6 hours. Leg 2 was downwind and the boats hoisted their spinnakers -- large sails adding speed to the boats. With strong winds, skill is required to race the boats. The race took about 3 hours," said Vivek Shanbhag from RMYC.