Shillong, April 01, 2026: Marking a significant moment for sailing and water sports in the country, Meghalaya successfully hosted the 1st Indian Sailing League (ISL) with a grand closing ceremony at the Orchid Sports Complex, Umiam, featuring a strong representation of 182 participants, including 58 international sailors from countries like Russia, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka.
The five-day event that featured intense competition amongst 14 franchises under different formats saw Bhopal Tritons emerging as the winner of the inaugural edition, and AJ’s Vizag Viking taking the second spot while home team Shillong Umiam Navigators (SUN) claimed a podium finish with the third spot. Deccan Skippers, VIR Cholas, and Pune Peshwas claimed the fourth, fifth and sixth spots respectively.
Apart from the titles, a total prize pool of ₹1.5 crores was awarded to the teams and the individual winners under different categories.
Shri. Chaitanya Awasthi, IAS, Sub-Divisional Officer of Ri-Bhoi District, Government of Meghalaya, lauded the exceptional talent, spirited competition, and sportsmanship displayed at Umiam Lake. He commended the meticulous planning of the organizers, noting that their collective efforts in nurturing emerging talent are foundational steps toward seeing Indian sailors compete on the Olympic stage. Drawing a parallel to his own journey through competitive exams, he reminded participants that resilience and determination are the ultimate markers of success. Highlighting the State's pivotal role in the event's success, he extended sincere gratitude to the various departments of the Government of Meghalaya for their invaluable support.
Admiral Karambir Singh, PVSM, AVSM, ADC (retd), Former Chief of Naval Staff, President Yachting Association of India, praised the successful execution of the event, attributing it to the infrastructure and assistance provided. He extended his gratitude to the Government of Meghalaya, the Hon’ble Chief Minister, and key state officials, emphasizing the region's dedication by stating, “The level of wholehearted support that the state government gave for this event, I have not seen any other state government give”. He noted rapid transformation of the venue land into a premier sailing destination over just a few years. He highlighted the Yachting Association of India's (YAI) three-fold vision to develop grassroots talent, secure international medals, and popularize the sport, noting that this inaugural event successfully met these goals while nurturing an enjoyable competitive environment.
Alok Kumar Yadav, League Commissioner, ISL, highlighted the collective dedication to innovate the sport and emphasized on organisational efforts to ensure fairness, festivity and maximum opportunities for the sailors. He expressed strong optimism that the success of the inaugural league will pave the way for an even better second season.
The Competition covered categories like ILCA 4 boys and girls, ILCA 6 and 7, 420, Optimist, Techno 293 and Olympic classes with innovative race formats like Rig-and-Race and transition events.
During the closing ceremony, all the technical committees, international jury, umpires, race officers, commentators and other key officials were felicitated for their support in the successful conduct of the league.
The Indian Sailing League saw a great participation with high energy racing creating an engaging experience for spectators and visitors at Umiam.
Notably, the first edition of the league was inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Conrad K Sangma, whose exemplary leadership has led to a continuous growth of the State’s Sports Infrastructure. As the event draws to a successful close, Meghalaya now looks forward to hosting the 4th North East Regatta from April 2-6, 2026, at the Umiam Water Sports Complex.
This back-to-back hosting of Competitive Water Sports events of such scale cements its position on the national and international sports tourism map while establishing Umiam, as a definitive capital for competitive water sports in India.
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