Cash problem may deter Oka's chance

JAKARTA (JP): Financial shortage may spoil national windsurfer Oka Sulaksana's chance of a medal in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney in September.

The Indonesian Yachting and Windsurfing Association (Porlasi) official in charge of athletes development, Raymond Kotambunan, said on Monday Oka needed around Rp 700 million (US$94,000) to hire a foreign coach, to compete in a series of windsurfing competitions in Europe to improve his world rankings and to live in Sydney for three months for climatic adjustment ahead of the Olympics.

He said Oka ranked 81st in the world after competing in four out of seven competitions in the last two years.

"If he can improve his world ranking and join the world's top 30, he has a greater chance of medals in the Olympics. He can improve his ranking if he competes in Europe, because about 70 percent of the world's top 30 windsurfers will test their skills there before competing in the Olympics," he said.

The competitions will be held from April to June in Spain, French, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. Earlier, Oka is scheduled to compete in the World Windsurfing Championships in Argentina from Feb. 10 to Feb. 20.

Oka, the 1998 Asian Games gold medalist in the IMCO heavy division in Thailand, finished 13th in his Olympic debut in Atlanta, Georgia.

Raymond said that Oka would compete in the 15th National Games (PON) in Surabaya, East Java, should he miss the European competition series, but he added that staying in Sydney for climatic adjustment was a must for Oka.

"There are no major competitions from July to September so that top windsurfers can spend time in Sydney. Oka must follow this practice because he needs to adjust himself to the local climate and waves," he said.

He said that Porlasi had asked for financial support from the National Sports Council (KONI) but it had yet to respond. "We are waiting for solutions to our plight."

He said Oka found his own sponsors to fund his prequalifying round for the Olympics last year: A group of foreign businesspeople, led by an Australian national called Mark Keating, who live in Oka's homeland of Bali

He said Oka was now training using a physical program devised by world-class windsurfing coach Amith Inbar of Israel, who supervised Oka's training when he competed in the World Championships in Noumea, New Caledonia, last November.

Porlasi has delayed its plan to hire the coach because it can not afford to pay his fees of $1,500 a week. Raymond said that Oka was now training with local coaches.

Separately, Antara reported that Oka won the fun race division at the three-day Aerowisata Windsurfing Challenge (AWC) 2000 at Semawang beach in Sanur, Bali, which ended on Saturday.

Second was Chua Rickson of Singapore, followed by Ikeda Yoshitaka of Japan. Australian top windsurfer, Radis Robbie, could only finish tenth.(ivy)