The 24th National Rowing Championship Regatta organized by the Amateur Rowing Association of Sri Lanka and sponsored by Mobitel for the third successive year will commence today at the Rowing Club in Colombo with the finals scheduled to be held on September 20.

This year the organizers have received a record number of 220 entries with 170 races scheduled to be conducted during the week. The rules for the Regatta will be strictly to FIFA requirements with minimum weights and lengths for the boats being adhered to.

The racing will be conducted in three lanes with the draw being based on the progressive system used by the FIFA which will give a crew a second chance of qualifying to the finals. It will also allow the best crews to enter the finals even if the three meet in the same heat.

Categories scheduled to be held are Juniors Under 16 and 19. Intermediate Under 23 and over and seniors open while the events lined up to be worked out will be Coxed Fours (Men’s Open Coxless), Coxless Pairs, Double Sculls and Single Skulls. The teams taking part in the two categories are (Doubles - Men and Women’s) Colombo Rowing Club, University of Colombo and Moratuwa Old Joes SC and Asian International School. (Men’s) Royal, S. Thomas’ St Joseph’s, Ananda, Air Force and Navy. (Women’s) Ladies College, Musaeus and Bishop’s.

The overall winners will be selected on the Olympic system of the most number of gold’s won. Last years winners in the two categories Colombo Rowing Club and Ladies College are tipped to retain the title for another year.