15 year old Sachin Ganesh becomes youngest sailor to win senior national title
15-year old Sachin Ganesh became the youngest sailor to win a gold medal in senior sailing, as he claimed a gold medal in the men's IQ-Foil event. The above-mentioned category will be introduced at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the youngster has set his eyes on qualifying for the mega-event.
YAI Senior National 2021 was conducted by the Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre (INWTC), Mumbai under the aegis of the Yachting Association of India for all Senior Olympic classes from 01- 06 September 2021. It will also be used for selection trials for the forthcoming Asian Games 2022 scheduled to be held in China. The races were conducted between Sunk Rock Lighthouse and Prongs Lighthouse in Mumbai harbour.
In the YAI Senior Nationals three new Olympic classes namely Windfoiling (IQ Foil), NACRA 17 and Kite boarding were planned to be introduced. But only IQ Foil was introduced in the National Championship concluded.
15-year-old Sachin Ganesh was the first to introduce IQ Foil Olympic class Sailing in India .
He is the youngest to win a Gold Medal in Senior Sailing History in India.
Instead of competing in Junior and Youth windsurfing championships, he was competing against a field of Senior RSX Windsurfer’s. "In the Hyderabad Nationals 2019, he could not even complete a single RSX windsurfing race, but he enjoyed competing against adults Windsurfer’s who were around 20 to 30 years Navy and Army men. He also participated in all Youth and Junior windsurfing Nationals held in Goa, Marve and Pune.
Sachin Ganesh has now set his goal to represent India at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and win a medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
IQ Foil -Windfoiling is basically the same as windsurfing but replacing the usual fin with a hydrofoil. The foil enables you to fly quietly and peacefully above the water in very light winds. . A windfoil is like an underwater glider that allows you to fly over the water. The foil transmits a hydrodynamic lift force to the board, capable of lifting it out of the water. The goal is of course to reduce drag and increase performance.
