Rowing: Diyawanna Oya to host 31st National Championship

The 31st National Rowing Championship, featuring approximately 200 oarsmen and women, will be held on the waters of Diyawanna Oya in Kotte from September 15 to 17. 

Defending champions, Sri Lanka Army, who won the Open events in men and women along with Royal College and Ladies' College, the winners of Under-18 Boy's and Girls' categories last year respectively, will be eyeing to retain their titles despite the throng of other teams representing schools, universities and clubs. 

A total of 15 teams have entered the fray competing under event classes of Single Sculls, Double Sculls, Coxless Pairs, Coxless Fours and Coxed Fours in the Open, Over-18 and Under-18 categories. 

Following the heat events to be held on the first two days of Thursday (15) and Friday (16), the finals will take place next Saturday (17) where all teams will be equally eager to brag honours. 

This year's Nationals will be the third occasion where the topmost rowing competition in Sri Lanka is held away from the customary location at Colombo Rowing Club on the waters of Beira Lake. 

The Diyawanna Oya, which presents the advantage for the rowers to compete on a 2000metre stretch course, will come handy when it comes to international standards. 

"It's also the location of Diyawanna Rowing Centre (DRC), the headquarters of Sri Lanka Rowing developed by the Amateur Rowing Association of Sri Lanka (ARASL). The DRC, established on the banks of a 2km purpose built canal is wide enough to race four boats abreast leaving space for one service lane. The DRC waterway meets FISA specifications to conduct local and international rowing competitions. FISA is the international Rowing federation headquartered in Geneva. It's an advantage to our competitors when they compete internationally. Doing away the traditional 1000 yard or 1000metre course at the Beira, and moving in to Diyawanna Oya will be a trial on endurance physically and mentally for them," stated Maheel Gamage of ARASL. 

Among the competing teams are S. Thomas’, Royal, Ananda, St. Joseph’s, Musaeus, Ladies', Bishops, Visakha Vidyalaya and Asian International School from schools, universities of Moratuwa and Colombo and the Kothalawala Defence University, from the armed forces the Army, Navy and Air Force and two clubs, namely Colombo RC and Bolgoda RC. 

So far a total of 182 entries -- 110 in men and 72 in women -- have been received by ARASL for its 31st National event. 

Topping them are Royal, who have entered 16 competitors in men's while defending Open champs, Sri Lanka Army has entered 15 oarsmen with a certain intention. 

Navy field the third highest (14) number of entires while S. Thomas' have named 12. 

Among other notable entries are Air Force (11), Kothalawala DU (10), AIS (9) and Ananda (7). 

Colombo RC and University of Moratuwa have named five each while Bolgoda RC and University of Colombo fields three each. 

In the women's category, Musaeus fields the strongest and biggest unit with 12 entries ahead of top contenders Ladies' College (11). 

Bishops and Army have named 10 oarswomen each while Colombo RC and Air Force have named 8 entries each. 

Navy comes into the competition with 5 entries while University of Colombo have entered 3. 

AIS and Navy have named two competitors each with University of Moratuwa coming into action with a solitary competitor. 

The competition will offer eight individual awards for top winners in each category. 

The ARASL treats the 31st Nationals as a trail for two prospective international events after FISA and Asian Rowing Federation recognised Sri Lanka as a potential hub in South Asia. 

Sri Lanka has been offered with several Asian rowing competitions to be conducted during 2017 and 2018 according to ARASL. 

Trophies on offer at the 31st Rowing Nationals 

1: F.H. Gerry Silva Trophy (Men's Open) 

2: Major general Percy Fernando Memorial Trophy (Men's Over-18) 

3: Eraj Wijesinghe Trophy (Men's Under-18) 

4: Deva Henry Trophy (Women's Open) 

5: J.M. Perera Memorial Trophy (Women's Over-18) 

6: Flipper Trophy (Women's Under-18) 

7: Schoolboy Sculler Trophy 

8: Schoolgirl Sculler Trophy