Mumbai junior sailors place at Sardinia Open Skiff World Championship

Fourteen-year-old Zahaan Hemrajani finished eighth overall in the Under-17 competition at the 2026 Open Skiff World Championship in Calasetta, Sardinia, after a structural crack in his hull left his boat taking on water on the opening day.

Eight sailors from Mumbai’s Royal Bombay Yacht Club represented India at the championship, held from 25 to 31 July. Zahaan recorded finishes of 28th, 36th and 30th before the Polish team loaned him a second-hand hull on the second day. He then finished sixth, second and sixth, qualified for the Gold Fleet, and ended the series with a race win and two second-place finishes.

In the Under-17 Silver Fleet, Deeyan Baid placed third, Syna Bhagchanka ninth and Kaavya Killawala 44th. Rehaan Dar finished 46th overall in the Under-17 Gold Fleet.

Kumar Gururaja Bhat finished 10th in the Under-13 fleet, followed by Ynsh Bhagchandka in 14th and Shayaan Jashnani in 28th. The club said the sailors prepared with support from the Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre in Mumbai and their coaches.