February 5, 2006	Sunday	Muharram 6, 1427

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KARACHI, Feb 4: Pakistan will field three pairs in the upcoming World Enterprise Sailing championship being held at Colombo from Feb 11 to 19. The squad was named by the Pakistan Sailing Federation (PSAF) after conducting open trials at the PN Aquatic Club recently.

The squad consists of Shehryar Arshad, Riaz Khan, Mamoon Sadiq, Abdul Hameed, Zahid Rauf and Rana Waqas, Zafar Yasin (leader) and Farrukh Mahfooz (manager). The team is due to fly to Sri Lankan capital on Feb 11.

According to results, the pair of Shehryar-Riaz topped the trials in which nine races were held and best of seven were counted.

Mamoon-Hameed pair finished second while Zahid-Rana combination secured third place.

The PSAF secretary, S. V. Hasan said that though Pakistan had won couple of laurels at the biennial World Enterprise in the past, they stayed away from the regatta after 1992 for one reason or the other.

He disclosed that PSAF had already conducted open trials for selection of team for the Asian Sailing regatta being held at Qatar in March.

Meanwhile, the PSAF has also received first instalment from the PST prepare for this year’s Asian Games. “It’s a healthy beginning for yachting and yachtsmen,” Hasan who returned from Islamabad said.

He hoped the financial assistance would go a long way and benefit the sailors to come at par with stronger nations in the sport.