Kochi, India: Litmus7 Racing Team India is set to represent the country at the BRICS Sailing Championship 2026 in Minsk, Belarus, from September 3 to 6, marking the company’s first entry into competitive international sailing and a significant step towards its vision of revitalising the sport in India.
More than an international sporting debut, the initiative reflects Litmus7’s commitment to expanding awareness, access and opportunities in sailing while reconnecting India with its deep maritime heritage. The company is supporting the team’s campaign across training, travel, accommodation, equipment and competition expenses, with the objective of developing a competitive Indian racing team capable of performing on the global stage.
Organised by Tenzor Sailing Group in partnership with the Belarus Sailing Federation, the BRICS Sailing Championship is an invitation-only event and forms part of Leg 3 of the Tenzor Elite Cup. The high-calibre fleet is expected to feature approximately 15–20 international teams, including leading teams from the Elite Cup. With TV BRICS as the international media partner, the championship will receive multilingual television and digital coverage across 80 countries, potentially reaching an audience of more than 1.5 billion.
The five-member Litmus7 Racing Team India crew brings together more than two decades of competitive sailing experience, including participation in World and Asian Championships, national titles and international podium finishes. The team recently demonstrated its capabilities by securing third place at the Fareast Offshore Regatta after covering nearly 3,000 nautical miles across China, Russia and South Korea.
Ahead of the championship, the team is undergoing intensive preparation aboard the J/80 sports keelboat at the Royal Madras Yacht Club in Chennai. The crew will then travel to Belarus for a practice camp on the MX700 one-design keelboat, the official racing yacht of the championship.
For Litmus7, the larger ambition extends beyond competition. The company aims to help bring sailing back into India’s mainstream sporting conversation by highlighting the country’s historic connection with the sea. The traditional kattumaram, developed by coastal fishing communities, represents an early twin-hull design that contributed to the evolution of the modern catamaran.
“India gave the world the word catamaran. Reviving that yesteryear’s glory of Indian sailing as a sport, and as a thriving ecosystem is my dream,” said Venu Gopalakrishnan, Founder and CEO of Litmus7.
Litmus7 believes Kochi can play an important role in building a stronger and more accessible sailing ecosystem. The participation of Kochi-based sailing entrepreneur Amrutha Jayachandran further reflects the initiative’s emphasis on exploration, courage, participation and new opportunities within Indian sailing.