The first regatta of the rowing calendar which is the ‘Opening regatta’ was successfully concluded on Sunday, the 4th of June 2017 at the Colombo rowing club. The regatta brought in the usual excitement with winners being selected based on best timing.
The men’s categories was well contested with Gateway college, Royal college, S. Thomas college, Ananda college, St. Joseph college, Colombo rowing club and University of Colombo competing.
In the men’s U14 sculls event Nimithra Jayakody of St. Joseph college rowed the 500m with a timing of 2 minutes and 12 seconds to be placed first while the Gordon Armstrong trophy was won by Savik Kuruppu of Royal college after a very tough re-row. His timing was 4 minutes and 18 seconds.
The men’s open fours event had Royal college becoming champions with a timing of 3 minutes and 51 seconds. The wining team comprised Hashen Hettigoda, Charin Wijethileke, Sajad Ajmal, Prathap Perera and Avishka Jayaweera. At the same time, the Vanlangeberg trophy was on by Abdulla Hassan and Vibhawa Premarathne with a timing of 3 minutes 46 seconds.
The participating teams in the women’s category was Ladies’ college, Bishops’ college, Visakha vidyalaya, Museaus college and Colombo rowing club going head to head.
In the women’s junior sculls Anelka Karunarathne was placed first with a timing of 4 minutes and 39 seconds. Ladies’ college was able to win the U14 fours girls event with a timing of 2 minutes and 12 seconds. The team comprised of Lyani Perera, Avani Amarasinghe, Anithra Fernando, Anya Devaputhra and Chalya Rodirogo. Bishops’ college won the Junior fours finals with a timing of4 minutes and 34 seconds and the team included Anagi Fernando, Thaveesha Aththanayake, Anya Wickramasinghe, Ishara Thilakarathene and Akansha Hulangama. Thilini Costa and Isuri Perera of Colombo rowing club took away the Secretacies bowl in the finals with a timing of 4 minutes and 35 seconds.
