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  Life   Travel  22 Apr 2017  Championing the tides

Championing the tides

THE ASIAN AGE. | AARTI BHANUSHALI
Published : Apr 22, 2017, 1:27 pm IST
Updated : Apr 22, 2017, 1:27 pm IST

Mumbai’s young sailing champ, Upamanyu Dutta continued his triumphant march at Goa International Sailing Week held in Dona Paula.

Upamanyu enjoys playing every sport with equal enthusiasm; his love for sailing however remains unmatched.
 Upamanyu enjoys playing every sport with equal enthusiasm; his love for sailing however remains unmatched.

For all those watching him sail through the gusty winds, manoeuvring his boat to beat his competitors, he may come across as a seasoned sailor, and rightly so. Mumbai’s Upamanyu Dutta has yet again proved his mettle at the Goa International Sailing Week where the young sailor dominated the class for over three days and enjoyed an unassailable lead over his rivals.

The 20-year-old champion started sailing along with his father at the tender age of seven and, since then, has been in love with the sport. “One of my fondest memories is the sailing expedition I used to take with him after school. My dad was in the army and we had to travel a lot. We loved sailing and I used to often accompany him when he hit the sea,” Upamanyu shares.

Upamanyu enjoys playing every sport with equal enthusiasm; his love for sailing however remains unmatched. “I enjoy playing everything — be it tennis, golf, soccer and all the other sports. But I love sailing a lot and I’m good at it.  Sailing is one of the most difficult and physically demanding sports. We have to deal with the changes in the tide, winds and waves,” he says.

Upamanyu Dutta

Currently pursuing his mechanical engineering in southern California, balancing studies and sailing is a challenge he is constantly juggling with. “It’s really hard maintaining a balance between studies and sailing but I have to set my priorities right. Recently, I was on a spring break and that’s when the Goa championship came about.” Determined as ever, he doesn’t miss his practice sessions though. “I’m currently studying and manage to practise three times a week. I also have to hit the gym, as I need to gain strength and weight. When I’m preparing for a competition, I practise for over six hours a day in the sea.”

Ask him why the sport isn’t as popular as any other sport in the country and he makes a valid observation. “I think not many people are aware about the sport. Most people are not interested also because it is expensive. Also, there are many restrictions by the government to go out into the water. Because I was from an army background, we had all the necessary permissions; with civilian, it gets difficult,” he says.

Upamanyu, who has just recovered from an arm injury, is now bracing himself for the 2020 Olympics. “A major setback was when my arm was badly injured. Sailing requires a lot of strength. It took a lot of effort to get back in shape and I had to sail at a national level competition with one arm. Sailing at an Olympic level is a 45-minute race using a single-person boat. I’m now training and practising to participate in the 2020 Laser Class under my category,” he smiles.

Tags: manoeuvring, goa international sailing week, upamanyu dutta