Inaugural ILCA Open India International Sailing Championship concludes in Hyderabad - The HinduPublished - July 19, 2026 12:26 am IST - HYDERABADWinners, officials and participants pose with their trophies during the closing ceremony of the 1st ILCA Open India International Sailing Championship and Yachting Association of India’s 40th Hyderabad Sailing Week 2026 at the Sailing Club, Hussainsagar Lake in Hyderabad on Saturday. | Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA GThe inaugural ILCA Open India International Sailing Championship, held alongside the Yachting Association of India’s (YAI) 40th Hyderabad Sailing Week 2026, concluded at the EME Sailing Association (EMESA) on Hussainsagar Lake in Hyderabad on Saturday (July 18).Lieutenant General Neeraj Varshney, Commandant of the Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME) presided over the closing ceremony and presented awards to the winners, marking the culmination of a week-long sailing competition.“The championship had fulfilled the vision of hosting India’s first International ILCA Open Championship at Hussainsagar, while reaffirming EMESA’s four-decade contribution to promoting sailing in the country,” said Lt. Gen. Varshney while adding that the institution had produced Olympians, Arjuna Awardees and several accomplished sailors over the years.Hosted by EMESA under the aegis of MCEME in association with the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) and the Yachting Association of India (YAI), the championship featured 124 sailors, including 19 women and girls, representing 19 sailing clubs and institutions from the Army, Navy and civilian sailing establishments, along with international participants. The competition was held across the ILCA-7, ILCA-6 (men and women) and ILCA-4 (boys and girls) categories.Published - July 19, 2026 12:26 am ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }