Indian sports wrap, August 15: Sarthak Chavan wins Indian National Racing Challenge 2W by barest of margins

Sarthak Chavan on his way to winning the Super Sport 301-400cc race at the Indian National Racing Challenge 2W. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

MOTORSPORT

Indian National Racing Challenge 2W: Close win for Sarthak Chavan, Ann Jennifer tops

Pune’s Sarthak Chavan, 19, snatched a dramatic victory with a last-lap move as he led a 1-2 finish for the Petronas TVS Racing team in the Super Sport 301-400cc race to launch his campaign on a bright note in the MRF Indian National Racing Challenge 2W at the Madras International Circuit on Saturday.

For the best part of the six-lap race that saw a huge crash involving Rakshith Dave and Savion Sabu (both riders unhurt) at Turn-2, Sarthak was tucked in behind pole-sitter and teammate Chiranth Vishwanath from Bengaluru and Hyderabad’s Rahil Pillarisetty (RACR Castrol Power1). In the last lap, Sarthak passed both while surviving a contact with Chiranth at Turn 11 for a close win. Chiranth finished second, ahead of Rahil, last year’s Pro-Stock National champion.

Meanwhile, Chennai’s Ann Jennifer (Motul Sparks Racing) dominated the Super Stock 165cc Intermediate field for a fine win, while Alwin Xavier (RACR Castrol Power1) from Thrissur took the honours in the Super Stock 301-400cc Open class. Both categories were run concurrently.

Bengaluru’s Savion Sabu (Madrabbit Racing) rode a very mature race for a fine win in the Pro-Stock 200cc class, moving up from P6, while Coimbatore’s Hari Haran (RACR Castrol Power1) emerged triumphant in the Stock 165cc (Novice) category. Another Bengalurean, Ashwin R, a private entrant, topped the Stock 301-400cc (Novice) race that went down to the wire.

Alwin Xavier benefited when teammate and race leader, 16-year-old Kabilesh Rajini Krishnan, retired as the throttle body came off in the fifth and penultimate lap. Xavier made the best of the situation to win the race ahead of Bengaluru’s Seshadri (Motul Gusto Racing) and local challenger Kamal Navas (Rockers Racing).

Former National women’s champion Ann Jennifer, the only female rider on the Super Stock 165cc Intermediate grid, did as she pleased to win without any serious challenge. Ipone Yakuza Racing India’s Ajai Xavier and Anand Kumar came in second and third, respectively.

The RACR Castrol Power1 team started the day with a win in the Stock 165cc (Novice) category through Hari Haran, who survived a close battle in the lead bunch. Completing the podium were Motul Sparks Racing teammates Yashwant Varma from Visakhapatnam and Meghalaya’s Faruk Ali Sohtun.

Bengaluru’s Poojita Anil Kumar notched her maiden win at the National level at the Petronas TVS Racing One-Make Championship. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Poojita Anil Kumar, the 18-year-old from Bengaluru, notched her maiden win at the National level as she fought her way to a brilliant victory in the Women’s (Apache RTR 200) category at the Petronas TVS Racing One-Make Championship.

Starting from pole position, Poojita, in her third competitive season, had a poor start and dropped to sixth. However, she kept her nerves to fight back into contention and then took the lead, which she maintained to the checkered flag for a well-deserved win. Fellow-Bengalurean Dhrishya Nair finished second, ahead of Vadodara’s Kinjal Raj.

Hyderabad’s Rajender Beedani and Vignesh Pothu from Mancherial won the Open (Expert, RR 310) and Rookie (Apache RTR 200) races, respectively.

Provisional results (all 6 laps):

Super Sport 301-400cc (Race-1): 1. Sarthak Chavan (Pune, Petronas TVS Racing) (11min, 01.971secs); 2. Chiranth Vishwanath (Bengaluru, Petronas TVS Racing) (11:02.264); 3. Rahil Pillarisetty (Hyderabad, RACR Castrol Power1) (11:02.609).

Super Stock 301-400cc Open (Race-1): 1. Allwin Xavier (Thrissur, RACR Castrol Power1) (11:41.198); 2. Seshadri (Bengaluru, Motul Gusto Racing) (11:41.824); 3. Kamal Navas (Chennai, Team Rockers Racing) (11:42.805).

Super Stock 165cc Intermediate (Race-1): 1. Ann Jennifer AS (Chennai, Motul Sparks Racing) (12:48.559); 2. Ajai Xavier M (Nagerkovil, Ipone Yakuza Racing India) (12:51.139); 3. Anand Kumar S (Chennai, Ipone Yakuza Racing India) (12:55.914).

Pro-Stock 200cc Open (Race-1): 1. Savion Sabu (Bengaluru, Madrabbit Racing) (11:54.910); 2. Abdul Basim RS (Chennai, Chandra LGE Racing) (11:55.619); 3. Senthil Kumar (Coimbatore, Team Rockers Racing) (11:55.666).

Stock 130-16cc (Novice) (Race-1): 1. Hari Haran R (Coimbatore, RACR Castrol Power1) (13:11.711); 2. Yashwant Varma (Visakhapatnam, Motul Sparks Racing) (13:12.286); 3. Faruk Ali Sohtun (East Khasi, Motul Sparks Racing) (13:12.483).

Stock 301-400cc Novice (Race-1): 1. Ashwin R (Bengaluru, Pvt.) (12:19.448); 2. G Balaji (Chennai, VEEDOL C2 Racing) (12:19.498); 3. Aaron Joseph (Bengaluru, RACR Castrol Power1) (12:39.529).

Petronas TVS Racing One-Make Championship:

Open (RR 310) (Race-1): 1. Rajender Beedani (Hyderabad) (11:46.679); 2. Hari Haran R (Coimbatore) (11:47.751); 3. Manoj Yesuadiyan (Chennai) (11:53.767).

Women (Apache RTR 200) (Race-1, 5 laps): 1. Poojita Anil Kumar (Bengaluru) (11:28.499); 2. Drishya Nair (Bengaluru) (11:35.942); 3. Kinjal Raj (Vadodara) (11:42.814).

Rookie (Apache RTR 200) (Race-1): 1. Pothu Vignesh (Mancherial) (13:16.496); 2. Rehbar Islam Baktoo (J&K) (13:17.396); 3. Godwin Clarence C (Coimbatore) (13:22.991).

CHESS

Mumbai’s Praful Jhaveri appointed coach and captain of St. Kitts and Nevis chess team

Mumbai-based FIDE trainer and arbiter Praful Jhaveri has been appointed coach and team captain by the St. Kitts and Nevis Chess Federation for the 46th Chess Olympiad.

The Chess Olympiad will be held in Uzbekistan from September 15 to 28.

Jhaveri’s appointment came after a recommendation from IM Abhilash Kelkar, who coached the same team in the 2024 Olympiad. Kelkar recommended Jhaveri’s books to the association, which promoted the appointment.

“I have already started training the young and passionate team. We are realistic about the challenge ahead and will strive for a respectable performance. It would be especially fulfilling if the team’s unrated players are able to earn their first FIDE ratings,” Jhaveri said in a statement.

-Press Trust of India

SQUASH

Sanya Vats loses thriller in Bendigo Open semifinal

Sanya Vats lost in a five-game thriller to Australian third seed Rachael Grinham in the women’s semifinals of the Bendigo Open squash, a USD 3000 PSA Challenger, in Bendigo, Australia, on Saturday.

The top seed Indian went down 6-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 7-11.

In the quarterfinals, Sanya beat seventh seed Zoe Tanner of England 11-3, 11-1, 11-2.