Enterprise World Championships in Bogmalo, Goa - Day 2

India hogged the limelight on the second day of the Sandpiper Enterprise World Sailing Championship being held at Bogmalo.

Indian sailors bagged all three top positions in the first race and the first two places in the second race, levelling the honours with Great Britain.

Reigning world champions Richard Estaugh and Peter Rowley continued to head the overall standings, however, with a fifth place in the first race and a third place in the second. "We’ve been pretty consistent so far, and that is what wins regattas," Richard said. But, he hastened to add, "Tomorrow will be an important day."

The first race was won by Aashim Mongia/R Mahesh (winners of yesterday’s second race), who sailed a blistering first beat, established a commanding lead of six boat lengths at the windward mark and never looked back till the finish. This pair, which was in a position to challenge Estaugh and Rowley for the overall lead, got a disappointing 11th position in the second race. "We sailed badly," said Mahesh. Aashim said that a wind shift at the start got them off on the wrong tack.

It was this same wind shift that propelled Gautam Dutta/Utpal More to the lead at the windward mark in the second race, a position they lost on the reach to former world champions Farokh Tarapore/Pushpendra Garg. Dutta/More, however, pipped the former world champions right at the finish line to win by half a boat length. Gautam took the gamble and won," said Tarapore, pointing out that Dutta could well have come fourth, had fortune not favoured him.

Dutta and More were elated at their win. "We’ve been sailing together since 1996," they said, "and this is our first win in a major event." The pair had a very good day overall, standing third in the first race and first in the second. Coach of the Indian squad Cdr Homi Motivala said he was "very happy" with today’s results. Asked whether that was not a mild reaction for an outstanding day, the soft spoken former world champion said that if his boys sailed the same way tomorrow and day after, he would say he was ecstatic. "The field is still wide open," he said, pointing out that the contest was getting tougher.

Day 2 Results:

Race 3:

Race 4:

Overall afer 4 Races: