National Sailing School tops medal tally at North East Regatta 2025

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 29, 2025

The 3rd YAI North East Regatta 2025 came to a close on Thursday with participants showcasing their sailing skills at the picturesque Umiam Lake. Despite challenging weather conditions, the five-day event highlighted the sailors’ determination and spirit of adventure.

The regatta, conducted by the Umiam Sailing Club (USC) and UDAY Sailing Foundation in association with the International 420 Class Association of India, under the aegis of the Yachting Association of India (YAI) and supported by the Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya, featured over 81 participants from 9 prominent sailing clubs across India, including 25 girls and 9 novices.

Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh, who attended as the Chief Guest, congratulated the sailors, the organising team, and members of the UDAY Sailing Foundation. He noted the event’s growing scale and increasing participation each year. Highlighting a technological milestone, he remarked, “For the first time, we have live-streamed the entire event, allowing parents to follow their children’s progress remotely.”

Speaking about the venue, Lyngdoh said, “We are fortunate to have one of the world’s most picturesque lakes right here.” He added that the surrounding facilities are being upgraded to better serve visitors and events.

He also announced a major investment plan of over Rs 100 crore to further develop the area, including introducing lake cruises. “We look forward to welcoming you all back next year with these upgraded facilities,” he said.

Key Achievements and Awards

• Doaydy T Sangma of Umiam Sailing Club (USC) was recognised as the Most Promising Sailor.
• The National Sailing School (NSS), Bhopal, bagged the Best Sailing Club award with 10 medals.
• Shashank Batham (NSS) received the prestigious Col Jaggi Trophy for achieving 7 hits (guns) in the ILA 6 category competition.

Notably, within just three years of its formation, the Umiam Sailing Club (USC) produced the third-largest contingent for this year’s YAI Regatta. This edition also marked a key initiative by the tourism department to balance ecological preservation with economic opportunities.

Competitions were held across 5 classes of boats in 11 different categories, with the event serving as a Junior National Ranking Event. Performances here are expected to play a role in selections for the National Squad for the 2026 Asian Games.

The closing ceremony was attended by Lt Gen TSA Narayanan, AVSM (Retd), Vice President of the Yachting Association of India; Uday Bhan Singh Yadav and Sarla Yadav, Directors of UDAY Sailing Foundation; Capt Jitender Dixit, Secretary of YAI; Col Alok Yadav, Technical Director; and Robert Lyngdoh, Secretary. Coaches, sailors, and volunteers were also present in large numbers.