The tide is turning for the rowers

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• Gender group lends Santhi support
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• Felipe Scolari named new Chelsea coach

Keywords: asian games, doha

Doha: The Indian Rowing team is practicing hard ahead of the Doha Asian Games.

Even the overcast conditions at the West Bay Lagoon in Doha failed to deter them from their first practice session since arriving in Doha.

The venue is a familiar one for many of them.

Rowing is an unknown sport in Doha and Indian officials have been coming over to set up the facilities and the venue is a picturesque spot with the sea on one side and the city on the other.

"The cross wind that we have it is little bit difficult to keep course here. So we are practicing so that we get used to the water and winds conditions for the race," a member of the Indian team, Swati, said.

The Indian team had been preparing for the games in Hyderabad for some months before leaving for Doha.

The powers that be in Indian sport don't expect much from the team though it had been given the top priority.

At one point the funding for the games camp was cut off for around two months.

But the unfazed rowers put up a good show at the Asian Rowing Championship.

They are now hoping to repeat their good run at the Asian Games, where they will take part in all the men's events and one women's event - the coxless fours.

"This is one of the best teams that we have ever prepared. The timings have been excellent. We have got very very fast timings. But it remains to be seen as the competition is going to be very tough," Secretary General, Indian Rowing Federation, Col CP Singh Deo said.

Sometimes the best way to prepare for a high profile event like the Asian Games is to do it quietly and without any fuss. That's exactly what the rowing team is doing.

They won four gold medals at the recent Asian Rowing Championship and are ready to take the fight to China and Japan.