India opened its sailing medal account at the Asian Games with a historic silver in the men’s skiff competition at the Kaiyoh Yacht Harbor in Gamagori City, near Aichi-Nagoya. The Kochi-based pair of Manu Francis, 31, and Prince Kurisinkal Noble, 30, secured the country's first-ever Asian Games silver in the men's skiff event, finishing second behind China after nine races. It marks India's second medal in the men's skiff discipline—following Varun Thakkar and KC Ganapathy's bronze in the 49er class at Jakarta 2018—and the nation's 24th Asian Games sailing medal overall.

What is skiff sailing and how does the scoring work?

Skiff sailing is a high-performance water sport using small, open, lightweight boats built for maximum speed and agility. In international competition, the term refers specifically to class-designated double-handed dinghies—most notably the Olympic 49er for men and the 49er FX for women. Unlike standard vessels, skiffs feature flat hulls that sit over the water rather than pushing through it. Carrying massive sails on a light frame makes them highly unstable, requiring exceptional balance, physical athleticism, and tight co-ordination between the two crew members. Tactical choices, boat positioning, and consistency across multiple rounds determine race outcomes.

Unlike most popular sports, sailing uses a low-point scoring system. Under this method, the boat that finishes first in a race receives one point, the second boat receives two points, and so forth. The crew with the lowest overall total score at the end of the regatta wins gold, with each boat allowed to discard its single worst race result.

How two Kerala cousins turned backwater play into Asian glory

Hailing from Ernakulam in Kerala, Francis and Noble are first cousins who grew up together and share a lifelong bond with the sea. Their families belong to the local fishing community, with the Arabian Sea sitting virtually at their doorstep. Yet, their introduction to competitive sailing was entirely accidental. Francis was 14 and Noble was 13 when older cousins introduced them to backwater sailing in 2009.

Recalling those early days, Francis shared: "Since we are from Kerala, we started sailing at the backwaters. Some of our cousins came into sailing. They told us about sailing. We didn't know much about it initially but later developed a passion." He added with a smile: "At first we didn't know anything about sailing. We thought it was like swimming and playing in the water."

Over the past decade, the duo has sailed as a team, developing an intuitive understanding on the water. Speaking on their partnership, Francis explained: "We are cousins, our mothers and we grew up together. We understand each other and that make it easier to coordinate." He noted further: "We have been sailing together for the past 10 years. We don't have to talk much. We understand. We can handle the bad days very easily. We knew that this was the best opportunity we can get."

Prince Noble and Manu Francis serve in the Indian Army. Prince Noble holds the rank of Havildar (equivalent to Sergeant). Manu Francis holds the rank of Naik (equivalent to Corporal).

Overcoming personal tragedy and mastering choppy seas

For 30-year-old Noble, the silver medal carries deep personal emotion following the loss of his father, a fisherman who died during the catastrophic 2018 Kerala floods. Despite losing his father to the ferocity of the floodwaters, Noble was never intimidated by the sea.

Reflecting on his journey, Noble said: "My father was a fisherman and the sea is very near our house. So, we are connected to the sea. That is why it was easy for us to start with sailing." Dedicating the triumph to his family, he added: "My father is no more, he died in the floods which hit Kerala in 2018. With the silver medal today, I have done more than what my father had wanted. After my father's death, my mother has been my support system. So, I would dedicate this medal to my father, mother, coach, all my well-wishers and countrymen."

Both sailors began their formal training at the National Sailing School in Bhopal and the Muziris Yachting Club in Kerala, before training at the Army Yachting Node of the Indian Army in Mumbai. Noble made his international debut in Germany in 2017, while Francis debuted internationally in 2019. Prior to their Asian Games debut, the pair had previously claimed a bronze medal together at the Asian Sailing Championships.

How the regatta unfolded at Kaiyoh Yacht Harbor

Across the nine-race competition in Japan, the Indian pair demonstrated strong consistency, accumulating 29 total points and discarding a sixth-place finish in Race 8 to settle on a net score of 23. Francis and Noble won Race 3 and finished second in Races 1, 5, and 9. (A separate race breakdown noted them finishing second in Races 3 and 4, while another report listed their final tally as 24 net points and 28 total points).

China's combination of Wen Zaiding and Liu Tian captured gold with a net total of 16 points after winning four of the nine races, despite being reported disqualified thrice across races 2, 6, and 8 in an event summary. Hong Kong China's Akira Luke Sakai and Russel Aylsworth took the bronze medal with 24 points. (An alternate event summary listed Japan with gold at 11 net points and Hong Kong with silver at 15 net points). In the women's skiff event, India's Harshita Tomar and Shital Verma finished fourth—repeating their placement from Hangzhou 2023—though one news report listed them as bronze medalists.

The heavy, choppy winds at Gamagori tested the Indian duo, who are accustomed to lighter wind conditions back home. Describing the final campaign, Noble remarked: "It's a special feeling for us to win a silver medal in our first Asian Games. It could have been a gold but for the windy conditions but that is not an excuse." He added: "It was our first Asian Games and winning a medal is very special. It was a tough competition and we somehow won the silver."

Francis elaborated on the technical struggle: "It was very tough actually. It was windy. We are not much comfortable with windy conditions. But we survived and somehow won a silver." He continued: "In light conditions, we are pretty good. We train in India, and in India almost every time it is light wind." Admitting mixed feelings, Francis stated: "We don't feel much about it. Happy and not that much happy. Because we could have won the gold. Initially, we didn't know we were in the silver medal position. We thought we were fighting for bronze, so it was lucky. We lack good technique in these kind of windy conditions. It was very choppy. But in the last race, the boat was flying. So we were happy about that. But we need to work more on heavy windy conditions."

Looking ahead to national trials and raising awareness

With their historic Asian Games medal secured, Francis is already turning his focus toward the national sailing championships scheduled for November. More than personal accolades, both sailors hope their success brings wider recognition to their sport back home. As Francis noted: "We hope the medal brings more awareness about sailing in India."