An event filled with action, excitement and adventure, India’s third International Match Race, ISS Mumbai International Match Race `09, has concluded. And to add three feathers in India’s cap, the winner was an Indian team; the runner-up another Indian team; and chasing an international team for the bronze was yet another Indian team.
Arjuna Awardee and Asian Games Silver Medalist Commander Mahesh and his crew Rajesh Dhulaji, Neeraj Sharma and P.S. Rao walked away this year with the Gold and a trophy on home turf. The competition was fought between 7 international and 4 national teams including 3 teams led by Arjuna Awardees.
Following close at his heels was Olympic Medalist and 4-time world Champion Farokh Tarapore and his crew Balraj Yadav, Atool Sinha and S.S. Yadav for the Silver. Winning the bronze medal stands the French team skippered by Francois Morvan and crewed by Rodrigue Cabaz, Nicolas Dore and Jeremie Raymond. And Arjuna awardee and world champion Nitin Mongia came in with a very close fourth this year with his crew Yuvraj Singh, Samal Pradhan, G. Randhawa.
The ISAF Grade-2 event was started with a starry bang when six of India’s popular celebrities decided to join in the fun and battle it out head-to-head for the trophy on the 31st of October, 2009. The smash-hit event race was won by ISS facility services team, headed by Country Manager of ISS Facility Services, Jolly Kocheri and crewed by Farokh Tarapore, Bollywood star Prashant Narayanan, Balraj Yadav, Shekhar Singh Yadav and Suresh Nair.
Pipped to the post was the Trident team led by the French Consul General Mr Francois Tujolas, accompanied by his wife Mayumi, Vice President of the Trident, Mr Bevendra Bharma, the experienced French Skipper Francois Morvan, and two teammates Rodrigue Cabaz and Nicolas Dore.
And the Kingfisher team glided into third place led by Kingfisher’s Vice President of Business Development, Commodore Mongia backed by the power and steam of India’s all-girl’s sailing team’s Skipper Ayesha Lobo with her team Hermann Kaur and Anika.
But the Grade-2 event was preceded by a ISAF Grade-3 event which also doubled up as a qualifying round. This year’s qualifiers were won by Indian Skipper Farokh Tarapore’s team, with the Silver Medal going to Indian Skipper Cdr R. Mahesh’s team and the Bronze Medal went to French Skipper Francois Morvan, closely contested by Korean Skipper Byeong Ki Park. The qualifiers were fought by a total of 11 Indian teams and 3 international teams.
For the first time ever India Jet Sports Academy and Jet Raid presented First International Formula One Jet Ski Race in India on 24th & 25th October, 2009. India witnessed the first ever Formula One Jet Ski sports event with expert pilots. Around nine countries competed against each other to win the Indian Jet Sports Academy Champions Cup 2009. Adding to the excitement, present at the occasion was a Guinness Book of World Record holder fastest man on water.
