Puducherry: For visitors, a walk along Puducherry coastline would be exciting this weekend as the seas and winds are all set to witness sailing as a delightful water sport at its best.
“Sailing the east coast”, the three-day regatta event hosted by the Puducherry Sailing Association (PSA) in collaboration with the French Institute of Pondicherry and the Embassy of France in India, kick-started on Thursday.
The regatta was flagged off by Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy and Alexandre Ziegler, Ambassador of France to India, on Thursday.
Consul general of France in Puducherry Catherine Suard, speaker V Vaithilingam, ministers, legislators and other senior officials participated in the function.
The event is being organised as part of the Bonjour India 2017-18 cultural exchange.
The first ever sailing ragatta is being organised from January 25 to 28 with close to 50 competitors, including international sailors, Olympic champion Felix Pruvot and the French national team.
Prominent international sailors include Mael Garnier, Alexandre Kowalski, Leo Maurin, Ivan Scolan and Sofiane Karim from France and Valentin Boyer and a jury ranging from Brigadiers and Colonels of the Indian Army to Ajit Diaz, who was awarded Race Official of the Year 2017 would also be part of the event.
The regatta consists of 10 individual races in a fleet racing format. The sailor who excels in the overall series of races will be declared the winner. As part of the four month long Bonjour India initiative an innovative e-bike was also launched here on Thursday by Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and Alexandre Ziegler, Ambassador of France to India, in the presence of consul general of France in Puducherry Catherine Suard, and Chief Secretary Aswani Kumar.
