KARACHI, June 29: The Pakistan Sailing Federation (PSAF) meets at the National Sailing Centre (NSC) on July 4 to chalk out training strategy for sailors for this year’s Asian Games besides discussing options for the uplift of the water sport.

The Asian Games which opens in Doha on Dec 1 are five months away from now and the sailors are desperately looking forward for an extensive training tour abroad under the supervision of a foreign coach to improve their skills.

It has been practice in the past to send sailors of different classes to Europe for participation in regattas during summer in addition to hiring the services of a foreign coach.

“With the drop out of Enterprise Class from the quadrennial regional games, the PSAF is stressing more on Match Racing and plans are afoot to send two outfits comprising eight sailors to Japan in the near future,” PSAF secretary, Commander (retd) Navaid Usmani told Dawn on Thursday.

Pakistan captured bronze in Match Racing at the Asian Sailing Championship held at Doha earlier this year.

The PSAF official said Japan has shown positive response to Pakistan’s request and the details of the trip are to be worked out once it is approved by the national body of the sport.

Pakistan, he said, has also confirmed their participation in the South Asian Yachting Regatta (SAYR) to be held at India from Sept 20 to 24. It will be sailed in Enterprise and Optimist Classes.

Pakistan swept SAYR when it was revived after a lapse of many years in Karachi last year.

Meanwhile, the four-member bronze medal winning team at the Asian Sailing Championship have been invited by the PSB to Islamabad on Friday where they will receive cash prizes.

The team consists of Shehryar Arshad, Ahsan Naqvi, Iqbal Azeem and Mohammad Riaz. They will be accompanied by the PSAF secretary.

In the meantime, 16-year-old Ujala Mir Masood will represent Pakistan at the World Youth Sailing Championship being held at Weymouth, UK, from July 12 to 21.

Her trip has been sponsored by ISAF, the world governing body of the game.