Gen-Next are all set to sail for glory

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The deck beneath your feet, the sky above your head, the wind billowing the sails and driving you on… it’s not surprising that today, looking beyond badminton and tennis and other sports, a lot of youngsters are going in for sailing — professionally.
They start getting trained for this sport from very young and go on to take up sailing on a competitive level, participating in competitions at the local, national and international level.
We spoke to a few young professional sailors to find out what they found most appealing about sailing.
Praveen Prabhakar, a class 11 student from DAV Senior Secondary School, says, “I started learning sailing in 2006 and have loved sailing since then. The thing I like the most about the sport is that it is a lot of fun, and at the same time has the right amount of competitiveness. It has thrill, excitement, and everything else put together in one package. The best part is that you learn as you sail. I have participated in competitions at the local, national and international level. I feel that in India, there is not much competition. At a National-level competition, in a fleet of maybe 50 to 60 sailors, there would be about 10 to 15 really good sailors. Whereas in an international-level competition, in a fleet of the same number, there would be about 40 really great sailors. That’s why I feel that it’s a little easier at the National level.”
Another ardent sailor, Rufus Nathanael Patrick, a student of class 11 from St. John’s School, says, “I started learning sailing at the age of 10. Sailing is fun and it is a wonderful feeling to have the wind blowing against your face. Sailing requires a lot of mind power, it is a strategy game and is similar to chess. When it comes to sailing, I have a long way to go. I can’t wait to get to the next level, which is for those who are 18 years and above. I have participated in some local and National competitions and am working towards improving my sailing to get into it more professionally and someday participate in competitions at the international level.”
Ajith Diaz, founder member of the Tamil Nadu Sailing Association, speaks about the current youthful trend. “Sailing can be both competitive or for leisure. Generally, children from the age of 6 come in to learn sailing professionally, as that is considered the most suitable age to start learning. In Chennai, sailing is done in the sea and is referred to as ‘coastal’ or ‘ocean sailing’ while in other states, like Hyderabad, where sailing is done in the lakes, it is referred to as ‘inland sailing,’” he adds..
“A lot of students take up sailing professionally and eventually go in for the state and national level competitions, acquiring valuable certificates for their achievements. As a sport, sailing brings about independence and makes one self-sufficient. As it is an adventure sport, it strengthens the survival skills ”
He then mentions a very interesting fact about youngsters who sail, in the context of gender. “The number of boys and girls who sail professionally is, very surprisingly, equal,” he adds.