Powerboat sport revs up in Lanka
Lanka Powerboat Association (LPA) joined hands with the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) in introducing and promoting Powerboat sports in Sri Lanka. This was revealed at a press briefing at the Olympic House Auditorium last Wednesday.
A team of foreign trainers are in Sri Lanka and had already staged a display race showing F2 powerboats in action on Beira Lake recently. These foreign trainers will be assisted by local personnel. LPA had already made arrangements to conduct a training course at Club Bentota with a day sea based at Mount Lavinia on April 18. The first training course will be for eight trainees for seven days with an examination on the eighth day.
The course will cover three areas, basic advanced and competition level and will be using four different types of powerboats – OSY400, F4, P750 and Jet Skies. In order to get everyone working together LPA and UIM representatives have visited nearly every waterway in the island assessing each venue for different genre of powerboating events and experiences.
The main reason that this new sports discipline to be introduced in Sri Lanka are as the island consisting of perfect locations, beautiful hotels, sporting enthusiasm, developing economy, plenty of water and the developing skill of young people.
Lanka Powerboat Association is the national body of Sri Lanka. LPA represent the UIM – the governing body of powerboating worldwide are keen to see powerboating develop in all its forms enjoyed by all Sri Lankans. Powerboating is a family sport where all family members can get involved from the youngest member with children as young as nine taking part in the GT15 races. LPA obtained the membership of the UIM for Sri Lanka and launched the association in 2012.
LPA along with the UIM are confident that this sport will be a huge success and will benefit everyone. Children will be trained and developed good values, skill and a code of conduct which will help them to be safe and develop into respectable sports athletes of the future.
This sport will boost the tourism industry in the island and tourists will love to watch races. International competitors will be very keen to race here and train, clubs and local races can all take place at the hotels around the country. Schools can develop residential and society based courses and encourage their young adults and children to develop skills that will make them top athletes whilst keeping them safe.