Ezhimala: The Indian Navy’s most anticipated sailing event, the Indian Navy Sailing Championship (INSC), is set to take place at the Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala, from October 16 to October 19, 2024. The annual championship, renowned as the Navy’s largest sailing regatta, promises to showcase top-tier sailing talent from across the naval commands.
The Marakkar Watermanship Training Centre (MWTC) at INA, known for being one of the finest sailing facilities in the country, will host over 100 participants, including officers, cadets, sailors, and Agniveers. Participants will compete in five different classes of boats across three distinct formats of racing, testing their sailing prowess in various challenging conditions.
The INSC is an inter-command event, conducted under the aegis of the Indian Naval Sailing Association (INSA), which is based at Naval Headquarters. The event is aimed at encouraging naval personnel to actively engage in competitive sailing, further honing their watermanship and seamanship skills.
This year’s championship will see teams from the three Naval Commands competing in popular formats of sailing, including Fleet Racing and Team Racing. Fleet Racing will take place in International Laser Class Association (ILCA-6) class boats for women, ILCA-7 class boats for men, and Bic Beach class boats for windsurfing. Team Racing will be conducted in the Enterprise class boats.
The Indian Navy places significant emphasis on watermanship activities like sailing, recognizing their role in fostering essential qualities such as seamanship skills, camaraderie, courage, and leadership among naval personnel. The INSC serves as a platform to develop these attributes while celebrating the Navy’s rich maritime traditions.