June 20, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 04, 1428

KARACHI, June 19: A three-member Pakistan sailing team left on Tuesday for Bahrain to compete in the Al-Bareh international regatta from June 19 to 23.

According to the Pakistan Sailing Federation (PSAF), the team, which was picked after trials, includes Ashraf Javed (Laser Standard), Ashfaq Iqbal (Laser Radial) and Abdul Rehman (Optimist). Mamoon Sadiq has accompanied as manager-cum-coach.

Another sailor Haider Ali Tipu (4.7 Class) could not leave as his visa was not arrived.

Capt. A.R. Arshad, a former PSAF secretary, has been named as Race Officer for the regatta.

This will be Pakistan’s first appearance in a regatta abroad after their miserable performance at the Doha Asian Games last December.

Meanwhile, PSAF president Rear Admiral Bakhtiar Mohsin has emphasised upon sailors to take more interest and raise their level if they want to win laurels.

He made this statement while presiding over his first Managing Committee meeting of the PSAF at the National Sailing Centre (NSC) the other day.

Earlier, the PSAF secretary general, Navaid Usmani, in his welcome speech threw light on the activities of sport.

In the meantime, the PSAF has decided to conduct one-day Chairman NSC trophy regatta for Optimist sailors at the NSC on July 1.