Royal regain Roy-Tho Regatta after five years
Royal College celebrated a historic victory in the 53rd Royal-Thomian Regatta, defeating their traditional rivals, S. Thomas’ College, by a significant margin of 44-8. The event, known as the world’s longest inter-school regatta, concluded at the Colombo Rowing Club at Beira Lake last evening.
After a five-year gap, Royal claimed the title once again, with their last win dating back to 2019. Led by Nevan Perera, the Reid Avenue School crew dominated the competition, displaying their strength and skill throughout the races.
In the prestigious Boat Race, Royal excelled in the ‘A’ Four event, earning the highest points of 12. They followed this success by winning the ‘B’ Four event, which contributed an additional eight points to their tally, setting the stage for their historic victory. The Regatta began with S. Thomas’ taking an early lead. They won the ‘A’ Scull event, earning six points and establishing a 6-0 advantage. In the second event, the ‘B’ Scull, S. Thomas’ continued their dominance, winning and accumulating two more points, extending their lead to 8-0.
Royal won the boat race on their way to claim the Regatta - Pix by Eshan Fernando
However, the tide turned in the third event when Royal won the ‘A’ Pair, allowing them to equalise the points at 8-8. This crucial win shifted the momentum in favour of Royal. From that point on, Royal displayed their strength by winning three consecutive events. They took the ‘B’ Pair, which offered four points, followed by victories in the ‘A’ Double Scull (8 points) and ‘B’ Double Scull (4 points).
By the end of these races, Royal had surged ahead with a staggering total of 24 points against S. Thomas’ eight. Royal’s impressive performance not only marked a triumphant return to the top of the regatta after five years but also highlighted their status as a dominant force in school rowing.
