Sailing to get govt boost

Hyderabad: The Telangana Government would go all out to promote sports at every level and a sport like sailing even more given the fact that it ranks foremost among the eco-friendly ones.

This assurance was given by State Finance Minister E Rajender after he declared open the 29th Laser National Sailing Championship 2014, which is popularly known as ‘Hyderabad Sailing Week’, at the Hussainsagar Lake here on Tuesday.

A week after the successful conduct of the Monsoon Regatta, the picturesque locale will see high-profile action with the best of sailors from across the country vying for honours in the five-day event that is being jointly hosted by EME Sailing Association and Secunderabad Club. Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Sports Authority of Telangana, Luv Agarwal, said that Hyderabad has become the nerve-centre for all water sports activities because of which the Authority had incorporated them in the annual summer camps for children. Seeing the response to the camps, they endeavoured to promote the sport from the school level so that enthusiastic boys and girls could adapt to wind conditions from a young age.

Lt Col RS Dhillon, Secretary, EME Sailing Association, pointed out that this was one of the biggest Sailing events in the country apart from being the biggest inland National Sailing Event in the country. He said that the laser boat is one of the most popular boats in the world and its popularity in the country has been sky-rocketing for several years now. He said the sport was being vibrantly nurtured at the EME Sailing Club. A conditioning camp for all participating sailors was held over the weekend as a preparatory conditioning