Defending champions S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, will take on Royal College, Colombo, in the 11th Royal-Thomian Sailing Regatta for the Ranil Dias Memorial Trophy on October 16 and 17 at Bolgoda Lake.
Nikith Senaratne will lead the Thomian team, while Yusef Hazari will captain Royal as the two traditional rivals prepare for another contest on the water.
S. Thomas’ head into this year’s encounter with the upper hand in the overall standings, having secured seven victories from the 10 previous editions. Royal have won the trophy on three occasions.
The Thomians enjoyed early success in the rivalry before Royal claimed their first overall victory in 2018 with a 6-4 result. S. Thomas’ reclaimed the title in 2019, but Royal responded with victories in 2023 and 2024. The 2023 competition finished 5-5, with Royal securing the trophy through the tie-break rule.
Last year’s regatta delivered another closely fought contest, with S. Thomas’ clinching the trophy in the final Laser A race. The victory strengthened their overall record to seven wins against Royal’s three.
With S. Thomas’ aiming to retain the title and Royal seeking to narrow the gap in the overall standings, another competitive showdown is expected on Bolgoda Lake as the two schools renew their sailing rivalry.
