|
Clinical performance by Nitin Mongia
|
|
|
|
| OK Dinghy World Championship - Clinical performance by Nitin Mongia |
| GOA, INDIA-(1-4-2003) As the competitors arrived at the Cidade De Goa Beach Resort this morning it was apparent that it was going to be another blazing hot day. The wind appeared to set into its pattern earlier than usual at about 1200. At the time the participants went afloat for race 3 the wind direction was at about 270 degrees. By the time Principal Race Officer Homi Motivala had set the course it had settled at about 295 degrees oscillating 10 degrees to either side. There was about 8-10 knots of breeze at the start building up to around 12 – 14 knots by the end of the race.
RACE 3
The Start line was even with no particular end favored with the fleet being evenly spread through the line. Nitin Mongia took a conservative start about 6 boats down from the Committee Boat. Nick Craig got off the line well from the middle and Paul Rhodes and Greg Wilcox were out on the pin end of the line.
Throughout the beat winds were oscillating from around 285 –305 and Nitin squeezed out a narrow lead and rounded the windward mark 1st followed by Greg Wilcox and Nick Craig. Nitin the powered down the reaches and rounded the leeward mark 1st followed by Nick and Greg. The leading group split after rounding the mark with Nick chancing his luck on the left while Greg went to the right side and Nitin anxiously held on to the middle. Greg Wilcox took advantage of as good swing from the right to force Nitin to undertack him as they approached the mark but Nitin managed to slip out from under him and lead once again at the Windward Mark. Greg rounded a close 2nd followed by Ben Morrison in 3rd and Nick Craig who was sunk by the left hand side. Nitin was not troubled after that and sailed on to win comfortably from Greg Wilcox with Nick sailing a good final beat to finish 3rd followed by Ben Morrison.
The sailors are greeted every evening by the EME pipes and drums band from Secunderabad playing the tune ‘Lili Bolero’ which is the EME tune and other martial music. The international sailors have been all praise for the excellent arrangements made by the EME Sailing Association both on and off shore. Col Rajesh Kochhar, a die hard OK Dinghy sailor and now in the Organising Committee said that this is a result of one years sustained effort by the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers. Historically this is the first time that the Indian Army has organised an International Regatta of this stature.
Greg Wilcox and Nick Craig filed protests against Nitin Mongia. The Jury after deliberating for long periods dismissed both protests. Two races are scheduled for tomorrow. These should go a long way to deciding the outcome of the event.
|
Source: Event editor |
