Inaugural Indian Sailing League kicks off at Shillong’s picturesque Umiam

A day before the most successful franchise-based league in the world, the Indian Premier League (IPL), kicks off its latest season, another sporting discipline is set to enter the realms of league-based competition as the inaugural Indian Sailing League is set to begin at Orchid Water Sports Complex, Umiam Lake, in Shillong on Friday.

The five-day competition will see 14 franchises and 182 sailors not just from India but at least 58 international sailors from countries like Russia, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Sri Lanka vying for the titles and a total prize pool exceeding ₹1.5 crore. The competition will have Olympic categories of ILCA 6, ILCA 7 and 420 Class, alongside the youth competition in ILCA 4 boys and girls, and Optimist categories.

Organised in association with the government of Meghalaya’s department of tourism and the United De Novo Association of Yachting (UDAY), the league will feature 14 teams representing different regions of India, including the home team, Shillong Umiam Navigators. Other participating franchises include Deccan Skippers, Secunderabad Daredevils, Goa Mariners, Chennai Sailing Knights, Pune Peshwas, Vir Cholas, Bhopal Tritons, Vizag Vikings, Lake City Tigers, SailX Gorakhpur, Pondicherry Pirates, Mumbai Meridians and OA SUPER POWER.

While 60-year-old David Fan of Hong Kong will be the most experienced sailor at the event, representing Goa Mariners in the ILCA7 category, 12-year-old Krishna Venkitachalam will be one of the youngest at the competition, sailing in the Optimist class for SailX Gorakhpur.

Malaysia’s leading 420 pair of Danyal Marczqui Rajmat Sharon and Nur Aina Norhazram will spearhead Team Vizag’s campaign and will be joined by Russia’s top-ranked ILCA 6 sailor Anastasiia Ivanova, who also serves as a coach and is the only woman coaching a team in the tournament.

The event will also offer an immersive experience celebrating adventure, nature and Meghalaya’s rich cultural landscape.

Hosting the inaugural edition of the league marks a significant milestone for Meghalaya and reinforces its emergence as a hub for water sports and adventure tourism in India and the South Asian region. The five-day event will feature dynamic race formats that will test the crews on wind conditions, strategy, manoeuvring and speed, ushering in a new chapter for competitive sailing in India.