Rowing Eights will feature for the first time in the Sri Lankan waters as the Bolgoda Lake Rowing Club will host its first inaugural Endurance Regatta that is set to take place on the 25th of July on the waters of Bolgoda in Moratuwa.
Marking a first in the country and creating a significant milestone in the sport, two-coxed eights have been brought down to the Bolgoda waters and will feature in the inaugural Endurance Regatta. For the first time in the country, eight oarsmen will sit in the newly brought down coaxes in a race which spans a distance of 10 kilometers which will put the endurance of the rowers to test.
The rowing Eights being a brainchild of Sithira Wickremasekara, who is an ardent rowing enthusiast and the spearhead of the newly inaugurated Endurance Regatta which is scheduled to take place this weekend. Bringing down the boats had been one of the long term dreams of Sithira as these eights are the hallmarks of the famous age-old Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race. It has been 150 years since the Sri Lankan waters saw the boats race and this will be the first instance for the country to witness international flair in the sport.
“It was a tough task bringing the Eights and I feel I have accomplished a significant milestone in rowing as a sport in the country. This is a start, to the development of rowing in the country and Sri Lanka needs to go international with the sport. I think the Eights regatta will be an eye opener as this will be a perfect start for us to focus internationally and go global,” an elated Sithira added.
Sithira Wickremasekara has been a driving force in rowing in Sri Lanka, paving way for the sport to prosper in the country. The Bolgoda Lake Rowing Club was formed by him way back in the year 2008 on a property owned by him along banks of the lake. The initiative that started off in a minute scale with his primary vision being to provide his lake club for schools and clubs to practice rowing was successful as these institutions went on to produce strong rowing teams and national oarsmen/women.
“The introduction of the Eight’s by the Bolgoda Lake Club has taken the momentum forward as the Sri Lankan army and the defense services have already taken steps to fund two more eights for their use” Sithira told ThePapare.com.
The regatta will be worked off in a time trial basis with the victor of each race being judged by the best timing. All the rowing clubs and teams registered under the Amateur Rowing Association will take part in this regatta competing in the races.
The difference between the normal regatta series and this is that the races will go to a span of 6-10 km instead of the stereotype 1-2 km, testing the endurance and fitness levels of the rowers. These races will be judged on the timings of each boat and the winners will be adjudged on their recorded timings. In addition to the Eights there will be the races for the sculls as well. The Eights will need to cover a distance of 10 km and the sculls a distance of 6 km, a course especially marked with a few mild turns in the Bolgoda Lake.
The races will start on the 25th at 6.00 a.m. [JS1] at the Bolgoda Lake Rowing Club.
This event is expected to be a treat to all the rowing enthusiasts, to see sixteen arms and legs moving to the same rhythm.
