Just as the wind gusted, Jerome Kumar Savarimuthu too did, pumping up the pace. It averaged 10 knots in the opening race, climbed to 15 by the second and soared to 18 by the third. The 26-year-old rarely let down his dagger board, preferring power to precision, surging to victory in all three RS:X races of the Hyderabad Sailing Week senior multi-class regatta at Hussain Sagar on Tuesday.

“Speed can make up for other mistakes in a race,” Jerome said. “It gives you room to remain ahead of the fleet and chart the course forward,” he added.

On Tuesday, Jerome’s coach at the Army Yachting Node (AYN), Mumbai was a content man. “Coming to wind shift reading, tacking, gybing or rounding the marks, he’s by far the best in the fleet,” said D.P. Chennaiah. So was he optimistic about his ward’s medal prospects at next year’s Asian Games.

Interestingly, Jerome trailed in the opening leg of the first race, compatriot Ebad Ali completing the beat first. On the second upwind leg, he overtook Ali and Arjun Reddy on the third. Arjun capsized in the next race’s second beat, which Jerome made the most of to zoom ahead and remain in front till the hooter.

On song

By the third race, Jerome was on song. With the winds strong, he pulled up the centre board and rounded the first windward on a single tack.

Riding the strong drafts that persisted, the boom, foot strap and harness were in perfect harmony as he crossed the finish line a clear 100 metres ahead of his nearest rival.

The results (provisional):

RS:X: Race I: 1. Jerome Kumar, 2. K. Arjun Reddy, 3. Ebad Ali (all AYN); II: 1. Jerome, 2. Ebad Ali, 3. Manpreet Singh (AYN); III: 1. Jerome, 2. Manpreet, 3. Arjun.

Laser Standard: I: 1. Vir Menon (RMYC), 2. Harpreet Singh (AYN), 3. Ramesh Kumar (AYN), II: 1. Mujahid Khan, 2. Harpreet, 3. Kundhan Upadhyay (all AYN); III: 1. Mohit Saini, 2. Mujahid, 3. Ramesh.

Laser Radial: I: 1. Harpreet Singh, 2. Sharif Khan (both AYN), 3. Deelip Kumar (EMESA); II: 1. Harpreet, 2. Deelip, 3. G. Bhaskar Rao (AYN); III: 1. Harpreet, 2. Abhimanyu Panwar (RMYC), 3. Avinash Yadav (INWTC, Mumbai).

Laser 4.7: I: 1. M. Koteshwara Rao (Trishna SC), 2. Vivin Vinil (INWTC, Mumbai), 3. Mahesh Balachander (TNSA); II: 1. Ram Milan Yadav (NSS), 2. Ashish S. Roy (Trishna), 3. Vivin; III: 1. Vivin, 2. Ananya Chouhan (EMESA), 3. Koteshwara.

Finn: 1. Naveen Kumar, 2. Prabhit Bala, 3. Swatantra Singh (AYN); II: 1. Swatantra, 2. Sukhvir, 3. Vivek (all AYN); III: 1. Naveen, 2. Prabhit, 3. Vivek.

Helm name first, crew next: 470: I: 1. Ayaz Shaikh & Shubham Patel (AYN), 2. Virender Singh & Sudhanshu Shekhar (INWTC), 3. Atul Lande & Mahesh Yadav (AYN); II: 1. Ayaz & Shubham, 2. Virender & Sudhanshu, 3. Praveen Kumar & Ravindra Kumar Sharma (INWTC, Mumbai); III: 1. Ayaz & Shubham, 2. Virender & Sudhanshu, 3. Prabin & Vijay Singh (AYN).

Hobie 16: I: 1. Kamlesh Kumar Patel & U.B. Rawankar (AYN), 2. Kaushal Kumar Yadav & Girish (AWSA), 3. Pawan Kumar & Nitin (AYN); II: 1. Kaushal & Girish, 2. Pawan & Nitin, 3. Kamlesh & Rawankar; III: 1. Kaushal & Girish, 2. Kamlesh & Rawankar, 3. Pawan & Nitin.

Enterprise: I: Satish Kumar & Rahul M. Nair (AYN), 2. E. Hemant Kumar & Amit Arvind Shinde, 3. Manoj Kumar & Swardeen (both CESC); II: 1. Satish & Rahul, 2. Ashish Patel & Nagen Behera (EMESA), 3. Rajwant Singh & Mukhtiar Singh (CESC); III: 1. Satish & Rahul, 2. Ashish & Nagen, 3. Rajwant & Mukhtiar.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport> Other Sports / by A. Joseph Anthony / Hyderabad – July 04th, 2017