Royal College and Navy dominate roughest Sailing Nationals
View(s):Expectations were high this year with a large number of participants training for weeks preceding the Sailing Nationals at the Crow Island Navy Base under the guidance of National Coach Krishan Janaka and the National ILCA coach Roshil Nisantha.
Royal College – Junior winners (Standing from left) W.A.R Nishantha, Rear Admiral G.S.D. Weerasuriya (Director General Services, SL Navy) Prof. Shemal Fernando, (Director General of Sports), Commodore C.T. Gunarathna (Chairman, Navy Sailing Club), V. Satsoruban (MIC Sailing, Royal College), and K. Janaka (National Coach) (Squatting from left) Vonal Boteju, Minuga Hettigamage, Yusef Hazari (Vice Captain, Royal College), Muazzam Imtiaz and Binal Perera
However in an unexpected turn of events, after weeks of fair winds, the weather was not destined to play ball, and so it was with the winds gusting over 20 knots, challenging seasoned and novice sailors on the first day. With high number of boats in all classes capsising, at times multiple, in the high winds, even seasoned sailors called this year’s sailing nationals an unforgettable one.
With first time nationals sailor Mickyla Karunarathna of Ladies’ College beating veteran juniors to clinch second place on the first day, Royalists and Thomians fought back on day two, with Royalists finally dominating the Under-15 Optimist and ILCA 4 classes. In the Optimist class, Binal Perera of Royal College was placed first with Akaine Ubayasiri of S. Thomas’ College in second place and Royalist Vonal Boteju claiming third place.
(From left) Commodore P. M. Mumullage (Director Sports, Sri Lanka Navy, Treasurer, Yachting Association of Sri Lanka), P.D.D.S. Rajapaksha (Captain, SL Navy, winner ILCA 6 and ILCA 7), Shashi Schaffter (Apprentice Director, Janashakthi Group), Commander Kanchana Dampahala (Secretary, Navy Sailing)
In the Under-17 ILCA 4 class Royalist Muazzam Imtiaz beat defending champion Yusef Hazari to claim first place. Hazari and Minuga Hettigamage, also from Royal College, came
in second and third respectively.
The ILCA 6 class witnessed P.D.D.S. Rajapaksha, J.S. Senavirathna and U.D Rajapaksha of Sri Lanka Navy claiming first, second and third places respectively. While P.D.D.S. Rajapaksha also won the ILCA 7 class with J.S. Senavirathna coming in a close second, with Kethaka Weerasuriya of Ceylon Motor and Yacht Clun sailing in third.
Sri Lanka Navy won the two-manned Enterprise and GP 14 classes with K.S.K. de Silva and M.D.M. Subhashini; A.G.P. Ashanka and A.S.Jothipala and S.P.P.N Kumara and P.S.S. Gomas placed first, second and third respectively in Enterprise class. K.C. Zoysa and T.D.S. Perera; W.A.S. Weerathunga and J.P.S.de Silva and A.M.J.P. Aththanayaka and A.S.K. de Soyza were placed first, second and third respectively in the GP14 class.
Chief Guest Rear Admiral G.S.D. Weerasuriya lauded the sailors for performing under extreme weather conditions and said that Sri Lanka has the potential take sailing ‘to the world platform’.
With First Capital sponsoring the Sailing Nationals 2025, this year saw the most diverse junior sailors representing schools and clubs from all parts of the country including the Jaffna Optimist team, the Mirissa Optimist team, Royal College, S. Thomas’ College, Ladies’ College and Methodist College. Besides the large contingency of the Sri Lanka Navy, sailors from Ceylon Motor Yacht Club, Royal Colombo Yacht Club, Ruhunu Sailing Club, North Sails Sailing Club and Future Fibres Sailing Club also participated.