2009 Australian University Regatta.

The 2009 Australian University Regatta (National University event) will take place from the 15th to the 17th of April at Woollahra Sailing Club on Sydney Harbour.I will be representing U.N.S.W (University of N.S.W),Sydney. The event is being hosted by the Sydney Uni Sailing Club.

Ajay Rau to join MHASC (Middle Harbour Amateur Sailing Club),Sydney

I had recently shifted base from Chennai (India) to Sydney (Australia). I will be training and studying here for 3 years.While in India I am still with the Royal Madras Yacht Club,I am puting in an application for one year to join the MHASC The Middle Harbour Amateur Sailing Club has raced centreboard dinghies from its premises at The Spit for over 50 years. The Club started racing Laser class dinghies in 1976 and has produced many fine sailors, including Michael Blackburn, 2006 World Laser Champion. Olympic representative, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000 (Bronze Medal) and Athens 2004. Glenn Bourke, triple World Champion 1988 to 1990 Ben Austin, 2001 World Youth Champion. I will be training with a few memebers of the ASDS and NSWIS (Australian Sailing Development Squad and New South Wales Institute of Sport).

City sailor hopes to make it big - Indian Express

Sandip G First Published : 06 Mar 2009 03:14:00 AM IST Last Updated : CHENNAI: Let the tide be high or low, let the winds be treacherous or the waters frothy, it matters little to sailor Ajay Rau, who has been slowly but surely making ripples at the international circuit. He may not be yet a complete package— reckons himself amoebic in the cycle of a sailor’s evolution—but it won’t be long before he makes a mark. Currently he trains at the New South Wales Institute of Sports. “It was a wise decision to shift my base to a country where sailing is more popular and the infrastructure is good. The competition level here is altogether at a higher level as you train world-class sailors. Back home, I was winning almost everything and the competition was mediocre. Also, there were just a couple of events a year,” explained the Laser (Radial) sailor. Though he initially struggled to acclimatise to the conditions, he has commendably adapted to the weather in a year. “The first few months were tough, but I worked hard and represented my university in the domestic circuit as well competitions in New Zealand. I finished 14th in a world cup event in Melbourne,” beamed Ajay, who claimed bronze in last year’s Asia Pacific Championship and has eked out a wild card entry for the world championship this year. His lifetime ambition is an Olympic medal, which he reckons would be in his kitty in the 2016 Olympics. “Currently my aim is to qualify for the 2012 Olympics and also want to do well in the European senior grid,” he outlined his plans.

Ajay Rau gets wild card - Hindu

HINDU Sports : General Feb 25, 2009 Chennai: Sailor Ajay Rau who finished third in the Asia Pacific championships in Perth, was awarded a wild card for the Laser Radial Worlds to take place in Japan. “The third-place finish at Perth was one of my best results. It was a crucial event because Perth is the venue for the 2011 World Championships, which will be the Olympic qualifying event. My performance there helped me get the wild card for the Worlds in Japan,” said Ajay. Ajay will shift his training base to Sydney after he was awarded the Elite Athlete’s sports scholarship at the University of New South Wales. The scholarship is worth Australian $ 5000 a year. “I will be training at the NSW Institute of Sports, which is an endorsed Australian Olympic Training Centre, during my three-year University stay in Sydney,” said Ajay

Chennai sailor and his Olympic goals-Special Report NEWS TODAY

C SHYAM SUNDAR Fri, 20 Feb, 2009,03:28 PM .Sailing is not a popular sport in India, by any means. However, young Chennai sailor Ajay Rau, feels an Abhinav Bindra-like (in the Beijing Olympics) performance can fast-track the discipline into limelight and is keen to come up with one himself. .And, Ajay is leaving no stone unturned as he eyes Olympic glory (in 2012). He will be heading to Australia where he aims to finetune his skills and also pursue higher studies. 'I will be studying at the University of New South Wales and also training at the Academy of Excellence,' he told News Today. In this regard, he said training with top-flight sailors will stand him in good stead. 'I hope to do some events in Australia and New Zealand in the run-up to the Olympic trials that are scheduled for 2011 in Perth.' 'My biggest goal is to win a gold medal in the Olympics as it will give a fillip to the sport back home.' His immediate priority is to do well in the World championship in Japan to come off in August. 'I have a few months to train and prepare for the world meet,' he said with a sense of optimism. Among the other events Ajay will be keen to do well are the European Championship (in Denmark) and one in Germany. Even before he goes for glory in the London Olympics (2012), the bubbling Chennaiite wants to sail to a gold in the Asian Games in 2010 to be held in China. 'I'm among the top five in Asia and confident that if I keep improving a gold is there for the taking in the Asiad.' To a question on why chose sailing when cricket is religion in the country, the local lad said, 'I was interested in the sport since I was very young.' Though Ajay lamented the below-par training facilities in India, he felt can climb to the top aided by his coaching stints abroad. Ajay, the only Indian to have qualified for the forthcoming World championship, said one such session in France courtesy Sports Development Authority of Tamilnadu some time back was of immense help. Though sailing is low-key as of now, Ajay feels it is gathering momentum, albeit slowly. 'A spectacular performance by an Indian in the international sailing arena will turn the spotlight on the sport,' he said. 'Before Abhinav Bindra shot a gold at Beijing, shooting was on the periphery,' he noted. Ajay, whose aim is to be a top-quality sailor and win laurels for India at the world level, is confident of steering ahead and being the best.

Top performers Lauren Kitchen and international student Ajay Rau

27th March 2009 The first intake of students to UNSW’s Elite Athletes and Performers program has been welcomed by Vice-Chancellor Professor Fred Hilmer.Under the new program, undergraduate applicants can receive up to five bonus points on their UAI rank for entry into their preferred UNSW program.Elite athletes are defined according to the Australian Sports Commission’s Elite Athlete Friendly University Agreement. An elite performer is a student who has demonstrated excellence through performing arts, scholastic achievement or leadership on a national or international level. In his welcome address to students, the Vice-Chancellor discussed the important role initiatives like the Elite Athletes and Performers program play in recognising a broad range of skills, not just scholastic achievement.“We all know there are attributes that can’t be measured by the HSC alone,” Professor Hilmer said. Lauren Kitchen, 18, is a Bachelor of Planning student in the Faculty of the Built Environment. She’s also a Junior Australian Road Cycling Champion. “I researched all the universities in Sydney and UNSW offered the best facilities and support for me to study and train at the same time,” she said