Chance for Aishwarya in Jakarta sailing trials

After a long battle, the Delhi High Court has directed the Yachting Association of India (YAI) to conduct a regatta selection at the National Sailing Centre in Jakarta to decide who among Varsha Gauth

KOCHI: After a long battle, the Delhi High Court has directed the Yachting Association of India (YAI) to conduct a regatta selection at the National Sailing Centre in Jakarta to decide who among Varsha Gautham and Sweta Shervegar and Ekta Yadav and Shaila Charles take part in the Asian Games in the 49er FX event. But the trials will be with a twist.

If sources of YAI are to believed, the trials will now be open to all. This means the possibility of Aishwarya Neduncheziyan and Jaya taking part is high as their boats were already sent to Indonesia along with Ekta and Shaila’s as a standby.

“It will be held in one of the days between August 4 and 8 depending on when the officials and the venue are available. We have already approached the officials of Indonesian Sailing Federation. Dates will be confirmed soon. We are also planning to invite Chinese and Indonesian sailors to participate in the event. If there are more than four or five participants, it will be good,” a YAI official told Express.

With more participants, the trials will be tough and the contestants will have to put in their best to come out on top. Varsha had previously expressed concerns that it won’t be good to take part in a peak-performance event like this before the actual event. If Varsha and team come out on top in the trials, she will by taking part in the Asian Games with very less practice. Ekta and Shaila left for Jakarta after her case hearing was over on July 15 and have been training under a foreign coach there.

The Delhi High Court has also ordered the YAI to take care of the expenses of Varsha and Ekta’s teams that includes air fare to Indonesia and accommodation. The judges also said that though they found a meeting between Varsha and YAI secretary general Atul Anand as objectionable, there will be no further proceedings regarding the same after the official tendered an apology.

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The New Indian Express
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