Undergrads in Malaysian waters
View(s):University of Colombo Rowing team will be the only Sri Lankan University team at the Varsity Boat race, in Malaysia this year as well.
Taking part for the fifth time the oarsmen and oarswomen hope to maintain their winning standards. This will be the fifth year that University of Colombo will be rowing in the waters of Putrajaya, Malaysia, taking part in the prestigious Boat Race organised by the University Teknologi and
The University Oarsmen training at the Berei lake. The crew will leave for Malaysia today.
the Ministry of Education of Malaysia. University team will be up against about 26 Malaysian and international universities taking part this year.
With a relatively new and an inexperienced crew taking part this year, the teams are taking the regatta as a good challenge to start of the new season after the set back suffered in the Interuniversity Regatta, 2014.
“We have prepared as much as possible, most of our senior oarsmen graduated after the inter university regatta so this is a combination four, with relatively less experience, but we are confident and we have a good chance to bring home a medal” says Asahan Wettasinghe, the acting captain of the Men’s crew.
The teams have been training in Beira Lake the last month, although they will be rowing a 2km race.
“We do have a disadvantage, as we didn’t have an opportunity to prepare properly for a 2km race. We didn’t get a chance to practice in Bolgoda, but we have done the best under the circumstances. Our former coach Lloyd sir(Lloyd Sirimanne) trained us and put in the foundation” says Wettasinghe.
The captain of the women’s crew has confidence that her team will do well at the regatta.
Asahan Wettasinghe, the acting captain of the Men’s crew.
“I was the stroke for 2013 Malaysia bronze medal crew. Plus 3 other girls behind me are the ones who were in B four in the inter university Regatta. My team is strong and willing to take a risk think it’s a good crew as I see one of the best I’ve rowed with” says Rashni Anandawansha, acting captain.
The team has been training for over a month under a new coach, Chamara Munasinghe, who is also a former oarsman for the university.
Munasinghe acknowledges that the task at hand is tough but accepts the challenge of training the team for an international regatta as his maiden assignment.
“Sometimes the pressure works in a positive way. When I started helping out university rowing in 2006 under Mr. Sirimanne. My first assignment was to take a crew to an international regatta where our crews performed very well. But this time the pressure is more, with all the changes taking place we, the UOC team are on the spotlight. I believe we can, we have a fairly new team, relatively less experienced, but a very hardworking bunch” Munasinghe said.
The team which has been experiencing some setbacks hopes to come out stronger after the regatta. Further the coach believes that the experience and the exposure at international level will be good for the upcoming season. University Oarswomen still hold the record of 8 min 08 sec for women’s coxless fours event, which they achieved in 2010, and won a gold medal, while last year the team won a bronze in the same category. Last year the men’s team won the bronze medal for double scull.
The teams will consist of Ashan Wettasinghe, Fadil Iqbal, Lahiru Karunaratne, Nuwan Gunawardena, T. Thavakumaran, Akila Katuwawala and Women’s Crew: Geethma Werapitiya,Sandamini Kandambi, Rashni Anandawansha , Chamika Wijesuriya. Team Manager/ Master in Charge: Ajantha Dahanayake Events taking part: Coxless Four (men’s/ Women’s), Double Sculls (Men’s)
- Chathuri Dissanayake