Mussanah Open Championship Kumanan in cruise mode, takes big lead on Day 3

MUSSANAH: Top Indian sailor, Chennai-based Nethra Kumanan, continued to cruise in the Mussanah Open Championship 2021 — an Asian qualifying event for the Tokyo Olympics — consolidating her position at the top on the third day of the women's Laser Radial event at the Millennium Resort here.

The first Indian woman to win a medal at the Sailing World Cup — a bronze — finished on top in both her races on Monday in the Laser Radial category. After the disappointment of the opening day, Kumanan, who has also represented the country in the 2014 Incheon and 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, is leading the charts with a net total of seven points.

Kumanan's compatriot, Ramya Saravanan, who finished third in the fifth race and fifth in the sixth race on Day 3, was static at third position with a net total of 20, while Harshita Tomar, after a fruitful opening day, has slid to seventh spot on Day 3 with 28 net points.

In the Laser Standard class, Vishnu Saravanan had a forgettable final race, finishing 10th but his third-place finish in Race 5 has kept him static at third spot with a net total of 22.

The Mussanah Open provides two Asian spots each in the Laser Radial and Laser Standard classes, while all other classes have one Asian spot for Tokyo.

In the 49er class, the pair of KC Ganapathy (Helm) and Varun Thakkar (Crew), leapfrogged to the top of the table from third position on Day 2. The duo finished third in Race 7, first in Race 8 and second in Race 9 to have a net total down to 26. The 2018 Asian Games bronze medallists now have three podium finishes and lead their rivals by nine points.

There are 10 races in the Laser Standard and Laser Radial categories, while all other events have 12. The top teams then compete in the medals race and the aggregate of points of all the races is considered to determine the winners. IANS

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