The wind beneath your sails |18 August 2023

President Ramkalawan handing over the equipment to young windsurfer Jules Kandasamy (Photo: Romano Laurence)

Fourteen-year-old Praslinois Jules Kandasamy has received new windsurfing equipment from President Wavel Ramkalawan and the First Lady Lynda Ramkalawan this week – a dream come true for him.

This was promised to him after a surprise visit last year to the Praslin Secondary School, where President Ramkalawan commended his achievement during the school assembly.

Kandasamy was accompanied by his coach Elvin Jeannevol aka Spear, fellow colleague Jean-Marc Gardette who has been a great supporter and influencer for him, and his mother for the official handing over.

“Jules, I believe windsurfing saved you. As a youth it kept you from many bad influences and I hope that you will keep improving. Today, we have given you the ‘wind beneath your sails’ and now it is up to you to do the rest. We have hope that you can be our future Olympic medallist and we wish you all the very best,” President Ramkalawan expressed.

Kandasamy, who started windsurfing at the tender age of six, impressed many, especially President Ramkalawan when he came out third in the Mahe-Praslin windsurfing competition last year. At the time, he was 13 years old and proudly ended the race behind Jean-Marc Gardette and a few seconds apart from Jacquelin Languilla who was second out of 33 sailboarders who competed in both windsurfing and kitesurfing.

“I was very proud to have completed the race and grateful that it allowed others to see great potential in me, especially the president. I am very grateful to President Ramkalawan for the donation which I will surely put to good use. Actually, the equipment comes at an opportune time, now that I will be heading to Mauritius for a competition very soon and I hope to be able to achieve some good results,” said Kandasamy.

He also expressed much appreciation to his coach Jeannevol who believes in him, colleague Gardette, family members and friends for their continuous support.

Nadia Bedier