Boats hired for sailing coaches
CHENNAI: Alexandr Denisiuc and Ian Stuart Warren — the two coaches of India’s sailing contingent — will be on the water now, prepping their wards for competition. Off the water, two charter boats were hired by the Yachting Association of India and the expenses have been cleared by the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). Even the daily fees of the two coaches have been sanctioned. They are expected to get around 400 per day for at least 20 days.
A total of around Rs 40 lakh has been approved after the YAI requested the SAI to facilitate boats, equipment and sailing kits. Denisiuc will now coach both Nethra Kumanan and Vishnu Sarvanan in the laser class, while Warren will coach the 49ers – KC Ganapthy and Varun Thakkar. Tamas Eszes, who trains Nethra in Spain, has been appointed Greece’s coach. Hence, Alexandr has been appointed as coach for the Olympics. The hiring of the two boats will cost around `5 lakh each for the entire duration of 20 days.
The sailors have already started training in Enoshima, where their events will be held. The 49er boat of Varun and Ganapathy too is new and apparently had cost close to Rs 40 lakh, including transportation charges from New Zealand.
Jitendra Dixit, YAI joint secretary, confirmed the sanction. “We had sent the proposal to the government and they cleared it,” Dixit told this daily from New Delhi. “The coaches needed the boat and the charges are quite high. This would allow them to follow the sailors in the waters.” The joint secretary also confirmed Alexandr, who imparts training in Malta, would be looking after both Nethra and Vishnu.
Meanwhile, the Indian contingent ordered some 100 kettles for the rooms at the Games Village. The athletes requested the Chef de Mission so that warm water was available in the room. It is usually the norm to equip each room with kettle at the Village, but were missing.