VETERANS SAILING CUP RACE – 2025
The First event in the rundown to the Veterans Day was the Soman Memorial Lecture at the Asvini Auditorium on 15th Dec 2024 that was immediately followed by the Sumptuous Lunch hosted by our CinC at the IMSC. The next event was the the Day/Night Cricket match between Veterans and CinC teams in Kohli Stadium on 05 Jan 2025, that Veterans narrowly lost to CinC XI Team. Director INWTC, Capt Abhimanyu Patankar had made elaborate arrangements for the Sailing event. He had arranged for musical band and a huge windsurfer as a backdrop for photo shoot. The 4-member Veterans sailing team had No practice on J-24, prior to the finale scheduled at 2 pm on the 06 Jan 2024.
The Teams :
C-in-C Four
1. LtCdr Aman Vyas (Captain)
2. LtCdr Praveen Prabhakar
3. LtCdr Hrushikesh Vengurlaku
4. Lt Ashwin L
Veterans Four
1. LtCdr Farokh Tarapore (Captain)
2. Capt Vipul Meherishi
3. Cdr Ashim Mongia
4. LtCdr Amit Arvind
Match Umpire: Capt Patankar (Q International Umpire)
All sailors listed above have had immense experience in Sailing nationally and internationally. While Farokh and Meherishi are reputed international sailors with Arjun Awardee Farokh to lead his Team, other sailors too had enough sailing expertise. Capt Abhimanyu Patankar, the Dir INWTC has ample experience in Umpiring National and International Sailing Races of repute.
WTC – 06 Jan 2025
The Veteran spectators started gathering at the First-floor Veranda of the Sailing Club at WTC from 1130hrs . We were greeted by the C-in-C’s team. We were glad to meet OIC WTC, Capt Patankar, whom I had met last year too for the same competition, and earlier in Chilka about 12 yrs ago, during the All India NCC Yachting Championships, where I had accompanied the Maharashtra Team. Soon there was great bonhomie generated as more Veterans gathered. The Veterans who graced the occasion were Cmde and Mrs Bhatia, Cdr and Mrs SKS Yadav, Cdr & Mrs GS Raina who came from Jammu, Former Capt (BPT) and Mrs Brighu Nath Lal, Cdr and Mrs Dinesh Rai, Cdr and Mrs Surinder Paul, Mrs Mukti Ghosh, and The Naval Band in uniform was crooning in the corner, as chilled Beer was being served. The WTC had erected huge banners depicting the event, against which we all got ourselves snapped.
Capt Patankar briefed all present on the conduct of Races, Farokh having won the Toss, asked for the stbd lane leaving the boat choice to CinC Team. The confidence exhibited by Farokh was a give away of the Race outcome to unfold shortly. Cdr Vadhera went for a 11 AM scheduled meet at the NCPA for the Veterans Day Parade, on completion he had to take Sunita Maam to Asvini for med OPD. By the time they returned the 2nd race was in progress.
The Biryani Lunch to follow was delectable and aromatic supplemented with yummy Gulab-Jamun. The Director INWTC had arranged for a few speed boats for spectators. All proceeding to Sea were provided with Life Jackets for safety.
The triangular racecourse was laid with 3 huge orange floating Buoys a nautical mile apart. Best of three races were decided, of which the Veterans comfortably won the first two to win the Trophy. The Veterans Team won their 2 races back to back, to seal their overall win and retain the Rolling trophy won last year. Nevertheless, the CinC team did give their opponents a run for their money in the first Race, losing just by a foot. The spectators excitedly watched the races from a distance, yelling for their team players speculating the Race results.
At the presentation Ceremony Cap Abhimanyu Patankar, Dir INWTC requested President NFMC Cdr Vijay Vadhera to give away the prized rolling trophy to Farokh and his Team. Cdr Vadhera narrated the genesis of the Sailing Race between Veterans and CinC teams with a Vote of Thanks to the Organisers.
Looking forward the Grand Event of the Veterans Day Parade on 12 Jan 2025 and Octos & Veer Naris Gettogether on 19 Jan 2025.
Shano Varuna ... Jai Hind!
Link to Last year's Sailing Race between Veterans' and CinC Teams:
https://rajdutta26.blogspot.com/2024/01/veterans-sailing-cup-race-202-4-first.html
(PS - The remarkable Photo/ Video coverage is by Meena Dutta)
VIDEOS
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VIDEO-1
For complete Video footage, Double click the YouTube link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OLZdrVWgf8
VIDEO-2
VIDEO-3
PHOTOS
Excellent write up Sir with pics very well captures and compiled. Best Wishes n Warm Regards. Sarish Mathur
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ReplyDeleteGrateful Sarish, for your encouragement always....Regards Raj.
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