Young sailor looks for high tide as coach Eabad speaks of promise among youth

THERE has been a sprinkling of participation at the SAIL GOA 2025. The sport of sailing is slowly emerging from the shadows of other more illustrious Olympic sports but a lot needs to be done before it turns out to be a popular sport.

- CHANDRA PRABHU @Chennai

THERE has been a sprinkling of participation at the SAIL GOA 2025. The sport of sailing is slowly emerging from the shadows of other more illustrious Olympic sports but a lot needs to be done before it turns out to be a popular sport. But that has not deterred some young sailors to try their hand in this niche water sport.

Coach Eabad Ali has been keenly following the fortunes of youngsters in windsurfing. The coach-cum-sailor is the first to win a medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games in this new Olympic discipline — iQFOIL. This was introduced at the Paris Olympic last year, replacing RS:X vessel as well. Eabad has been one of the exponents in this sport that has started to take shape in India. He pointed out that there has to be more participation and awareness sailing in general and windsurfing with iQFOIL in particular, but there is a bunch of young sailors who are making a mark nationally.