Will India make it to Weymouth in 2012?

A nation yet to qualify for the Olympics in sailing, prospects are improving at ever more rapid pace

While there is much talk of emerging nations such as China and others in the Far East becoming more involved in sailing, a nation often overlooked is India. The country has had its own boat show since 2003 and in recent years has been getting a head of steam up when it comes to racing. A quick look through the ISAF rankings shows four Laser sailors listed led by Nachhatar Singh Johal in 291th position (of 888) and one 470 Men's pair. While Paul Goodison may not quake in his boots over this, as they say, from acorns grow oak trees.

At the Youth Worlds in Weymouth this week India is being represented solely by the charismatic 18 year old, Ajay Rau (above). While around 90% of the focus on sailing in India is around Mumbai (the former Bombay), Rau comes from Madras on the opposite eastern side of the country.

While still small, the facilities in Madras are way superior to those our friend Alexander Denisiuc has at his disposal in Moldova. In Madras there is even a royal club, the Royal Madras. "It is really small," says Rau. "Right now there are just three Lasers, two 420s and a couple of Optimists. That is about it in the club. We have a Waterwag - it like 75 years old and wooden, it is supposed to be a two hander but you can sail it with more - it still goes the same speed! Then there is the SeaBird which is a bigger version of the Waterwag."

Rau took up sailing at the age of 11, but by his own admission being decidedly overweigh at the time, didn't get on with the Optimist. "I really didn’t like it in the beginning because I weighed something like 75kg and I used to have to crouch down to sail it. It was only when I went into the Laser that I started to really enjoy sailing."

He started sailing seriously in the Laser in order to get fit but then discovered it was also an Olympic discipline. "Everyone wants Olympic glory," as he puts it. Oddly for a country so wrapped up in sports like cricket, India is not big when it comes to Olympic sports - their fortes are hockey, weightlifting, tennis and shooting - the latter being the only medal they returned with from Athens.

Like Alexander Denisiuc, Rau going sailing in Madras makes him different, but even aged 18 this doesn't seem to phase him and he is strongly individual. "All my friends think I’m crazy, but I’ve taken a few of them sailing and I think they understand."

Rau is aware that if he is to take on the Laser seriously then it will involve spending considerable time competing and training in Europe and as for everyone the issue of whether he can do this or not comes down to money. This is his first time competing in the Youth Worlds and this year has been his on the international circuit. Prior to coming to Weymouth he raced at the Kiel Week and then at the Laser Europeans in Poland.

To make it around the circuit Rau has been relying on parental support, although he hints that they are not entirely approving of his career path as a potential Olympic sailor. "They are supporting me," he says. "They just want what is the best for me and they know it is difficult in sailing, but there is something inside me which tells me I need to do it or to get it out of the way. I can’t sit around and say 'I could have done that'."

Perhaps it is the threat of his other possible career - that of a jazz saxophonist - that got him the plane ticket to the UK. Looking ahead he says money is unlikely to be forthcoming from the Indian government in India there are several rich philanthropists who support budding sportsmen and he may be able to tap into one of these.

While Rau recognises that he will have to come to Europe to train in the Laser, his fitness training is taken care of back in India. "I have a fantastic trainer who is one of the best, he trains the cricket team. So that is not a problem. Sailing I will need to go wherever the events are - the European season or down in Australia. All the top guys are always on tour."

Ideally his next regatta would be the Olympic test event in Qingdao. Even though the realises the level is too high for him at present, he says he needs to know how high the benchmark is. If not Qingdao then he says he will certainly have a go at the Asian Games in Qatar in December. "The Asian Games is really big in our country so I am hoping to qualify for that. The Indian Federation isn’t like it is over here where they say 'we are going to support you for the next five years'. It works like this - they have a selection trials for the event, if you win you go, if you don’t win you don’t go. So you need to keep winning."

Of his Olympic aspirations Rau says that campaigning for Beijing is not realistic for him, but returning to Weymouth for 2012 is. "And not only to come here and have fun, but to really compete and win a medal..." a sentiment echoed around the boat park here in Weymouth. “For me, sailing here is a dream”.

But there is a long way to go. India has yet to qualify as a nation for the Olympics.