CRC come ashore as overall winners of 83rd Madras-Colombo Regatta
Colombo Rowing Club (CRC) triumphed over the Madras Boat Club in the 83rd Madras-Colombo Regatta held at Beira Lake in Colombo yesterday. CRC’s impressive performance was evident as they won both the Men’s Deepam Trophy and the Women’s Adyar Trophy. This victory highlights CRC’s continued dominance in the world’s longest international regatta between the two countries.
The Men’s ‘B’ Scull saw CRC finishing at 3.34, a commendable performance compared to Madras Boat Club’s 3.42. In the Men’s ‘A’ Scull, however, CRC could not match the speed of Madras, finishing at 4.02 while Madras clinched victory with a time of 3.47. Despite this setback, CRC’s overall performance in the sculls was strong. The Men’s ‘A’ Pair race was another highlight for CRC, who finished with a time of 3.23, narrowly beating Madras Boat Club, who completed the race in 3.27. CRC also excelled in the Men’s ‘B’ Pair, securing a time of 3.39 against Madras’ 3.59, further exhibiting their strength in the pair events.
In the Women’s Pair, CRC finished with a timing of 4.01, edging out Madras Boat Club, who finished at 4.06. The Women’s Double Scull was another close contest, with CRC clocking in at 3.52 against Madras’ 3.57.
The Men’s ‘A’ Double Scull saw CRC finishing at 3.01, outpacing Madras Boat Club, who recorded 3.07. CRC also performed well in the Men’s ‘B’ Double Scull with a time of 3.11 compared to Madras’ 3.19. In the Women’s Scull, CRC’s time of 4.02 was faster than Madras’ 4.11, reinforcing their control across the board. The Men’s ‘B’ Four was a standout event for CRC, who finished with an impressive time of 2.59, beating Madras’ 3.04. Similarly, in the Women’s Four, CRC achieved a timing of 3.29, outperforming Madras Boat Club, who finished at 3.37.
The Boat Race, a crucial event in the regatta, saw CRC finishing with a time of 2.50, significantly faster than Madras Boat Club’s 3.05. This decisive victory in the final race cemented CRC’s overall win in the regatta, displaying their superior training and preparation.
In summary, the 83rd Madras-Colombo Regatta featured CRC’s strong performance from sculls to pairs and fours. Their victories, particularly in the Boat Race, highlighted their edge over the Madras Boat Club and force in this year’s edition.
The CRC Men’s crew included Arjun Wikramanayake, Kehan Sooriyarachchi, Saadh Ajmal, Thevinu Weligepolage, Jayden Jayasekara, Hamza Illyas, Maliq Hassen, Shaylon Gunaratna, Shivanedra Goonewardene, Rishen Perera and Niduk Batapolaarachchi. The Women’s crew included Rovinya Wijesekera, Anithra Fernando, Binuri Gunawardena, Oneli Chandrasekara, Hayaa Hassen and Ashenka Sumanapala.