Two Hyderabad girls selected for world sailing meet in Italy

Hyderabad: Jhansipriya Laveti and Vaishnavi Veeravamsham both sailors from Hyderabad, Telangana have been selected for the World Championships at Lake Riva Del Garda, Italy. It is scheduled to begin from July 1 2021.

This is a first ever for the state of Telangana that two girls in the same year have been selected for the World Championships in the Sub Juniors, a release said here on Monday. The Under 16 Worlds will be attended by 264 sailors from across 60 countries making it the most competitive regatta for youth on the planet.

Riva Del Garda is one of the largest lakes in Europe in the picturesque northern part of Italy, not far from Verona and provides challenging sailing conditions. Garda is host to all the largest Sailing Championships in the world and despite being a lake simulates huge waves and is backed by sky high cliffs.

The kids await their time on the water at what can be considered the Mecca of Sailing Championships.

Given the second wave Covid lockdowns and quarantine issues, there are many challenges both for the sailors' travel and organisers to hold the games at Italy.

Jhansipriya's mother is a single parent and works as part of the housekeeping team at the Yashoda Hospital is all excited and happy about her daughter going for her fourth International after the 2019 Oman Asians and the Atlantic Week at Portugal and Spain.

Vaishnavi's mother works as domestic help at various houses in Marredpally and cannot believe that her daughter is India No.2 and will be carrying the tricolour to Italy for a World Championship.

Both Jhansi and Vaishnavi, students of Udbhav School at Rasoolpura, joined sailing in 2018 and rapidly rose to the top of the Indian fleet.

"Jhansipriya is India No.1 and Vaishnavi India No. 2 and we are proud that she was selected and we shall leave no stone unturned in their participation at the Worlds", said Lt.Gen KS Rao, President of the Telangana Sailing Association. Telangana now boasts of the largest fleet of boats and sailors across India in ironically land locked Hussain Sagar.

Both Jhansi and Vaishnavi have trained under Suheim Sheikh at the Yacht Club of Hyderabad . "Both girls are training hard and I do hope that Covid related visa issues and quarantine issues do not spoil the party. Fingers crossed," said Suheim Sheikh, an alumni of IIT Madras, their coach and also the president of the YCH Foundation, a charitable sports organisation at Hussain Sagar with the tagline "Dignity Through Sports" and works only with marginalised children taking them to International levels of sailing.

'It's been a long journey to get to this stage and were it not for the immense support from the Telangana State Government's various departments this journey would never have reached this level especially institutions like the Metropolitan Commissioner HMDA, BPPA and the Sports Authority for having lent their support when most needed.", added Suheim Sheikh also President of the YCH Foundation.

"We are both looking to move up the ladder to the Olympic and Asian Games in the Laser Class and participate in the forthcoming Asian Trials to be held in Hyderabad in August given that this is our last year in the under 16 category", said a confident and jubilant Vaishnavi who is eagerly looking to migrating to the Lasers and the 29er under the watchful eyes of her coach.

"Garda is a lake and is known for heavy weather and hopefully our experience with Hussain Sagar monsoons will help a great deal" , Jhansi added confidently. The duo and their pacing teammates are moving into a bubble to ensure they are at the top of their fitness and to ensure intensive practice.