Sailors take to online classes to stay on top

The online sessions include panel discussions by coaches on racing rules, briefing the sailors about diet, psychology management and physical fitness.

EMESA Secretary Lt Col Alok Yadav said the online classes have been receiving tremendous response from the sailors.

Sailing is a non-contact sport but because of the lockdown, the officials have decided to conduct online, distance-learning classes to ensure the sailors are better equipped with the rules and regulations and also mentally ready for any challenges as and when the Covid-19 recedes. “Yes, we are using the technology to make the sailors understand the rules better for this is one sport where half the battle is won if you are good in getting them right,” says Lt. Col. Alok Yadav, honorary secretary of EME Sailing Association, in a telephonic chat with Sportstar   on Sunday. “With Hussain Sagar Lake, the only possible venue for sailors in the City here closed because of the lockdown, we started these classes four weeks ago and are really pleased with the kind of response,” he said.

“EMESA is also conducting online training in four categories - medal prospects, novice EME sailors, novice juniors and sailing race officials. The different groups are put through different syllabus to make sure each participant is made to learn his future course of action,” Lt. Col. Alok Yadav said. “The online sessions include panel discussions by coaches on racing rules, briefing the sailors about diet, psychology management, physical fitness with Sub. Maj. B.K. Rout, a former national champion, playing a lead role,” he said. “It is imperative for them to be aware of the complicated rules as this helps them adopt better tactics to emerge champions,” the EMESA official said. “Unfortunately, this lockdown has come at the wrong time for most of the sailors were dominating the scene if the performances in the 2019 Hyderabad Sailing Week were any indication,” Lt Col Alok Yadav said.