Dialog GSM sponsored 33rd Regatta and 37th Boat Race:

Royal has the edge over the Thomians

BY RICHARD Dwight

A CONCERTED effort in recent years has been taken to focus on, and promote water sports in one form or the other. Evidence of this is seen in the area of sailing, and in rowing especially, where the number of schools taking to the sport is on the increase, which certainly does augur well for the future of rowing.

It's against this build up and the prevailing enthusiasm, that we'll find the oarsmen of Royal College and S. Thomas' bringing their boats to outrow the other for rowing supremacy this afternoon, on the '1000 yard' water stretch of the Beira Lake (alongside the Colombo Rowing Club)

This healthy contest between the oarsmen of these two traditional rivals, initially commenced in 1962, with just an annual boat race. It was in a sense the forerunner, to the regatta that came into be in 1966 - which was found to be broader in perspective, having a card of six events, of which the boat race is one.

However, there is a gap of seven years from 1973 to 1979 when the regatta wasn't held, which meant there being no boat race as well.

This therefore makes this year's regatta the 33rd and the Boat race the 37th Of the 32 past regattas, S. Thomas' lead by 4, having won 17 to Royals' 13, with there being two ties, in the year 1993 and 2003. And in the 36 Boat races held hitherto, S. Thomas' are ahead by 2 having won 19 to Royal's 17.

The regatta is worked off in two groups A and B with 3 identical events for each group making a card of 6 events.

They being the A fours which carry 12 points, B fours 8 pts, A pairs 8 pts., B pairs 4 pts: A sculls 6 pts: and B sculls 2 pts - in all an aggregate of 40 pts. In addition there will be the Junior B fours and the old boys race which bear no points and is not reckoned for championship honours.

The overall regatta champions are awarded the T. Noel Fernando Trophy, the A fours the Boat Race Trophy, the Junior Fours - the Eraj Wijesinghe Trophy, the Senior Pairs - the Freddic Raux Trophy, the Junior Pairs - Chula Samarasinghe Trophy, the Senior sculls - the Royal-Thomian Trophy, the Junior Sculls - the Ajith Goonewardene Trophy and the Percy Fernando Trophy for the Junior B fours.

The regatta for well nigh ten years has been sponsored by Dialog GSM and will be the sponsors this year as well. S. Thomas' will be hosting the event, with the Chief Guest being the Director of Trad Lanka, Prasad Vithanage, a former Thomian oarsman, who captained the College rowing team in 1989.

Last years' regatta under Dejan de Zoysa ended in a victory for S. Thomas', wherein they won the senior fours and sculls, the junior Pairs and sculls to gain 24 points, whilst Royal led by Veron Wickremasinghe, won the Junior Fours (Pointless) the senior Pairs and the Junior B fours, to register 16 points.

That which is most distinctive of this year's Royal side skippered by Keshal Jayasinghe, as against the Thomians led by Deneshka Aluwihare, is that comparatively the Royalist gave a good account of themselves in the National rowing championship held in August this year, - where they won the Junior Pairs, the intermediate Pairs and fours, while the Thomians did not fare that too well.

The advantage that Royal has, is that apart from Captain Jayasinghe, a third year coloursman, he has four other mature coloursmen in vice captain Gishan Karunanayake, Lishan Wickremanayake, Muditha Jayasinghe and Dinuk Perera.

All of them have done well here and have been participants at competitions held in the Asian Region.

In addition they have three other senior oarsmen in Dewith Ekanayake, Murlik Aziz and Reza Akram. Royal's Master-in-charge of Rowing is R. Jayasooriya the assistant coach is K. Jirasinghe and the coach is Hiran Dorenagama.

It was gathered from Dorenagama that the Royal crew had a lean spell for quite a few years, conceding the regatta and the boat race, mainly through the process of team building.

He was of the view that the oarsmen have come off well, with the emphasis on physical fitness and should pull this off, to win the regatta and the boat race and narrow the gap of victories achieved by the Thomians.

S. Thomas' on the other hand are sans some of their star performers, who made valid contributions in the past few years.

They will be steered by the well set, dashing seasoned campaigner Dineshka Aluwihare, who has wide experience having rowed here and abroad. His deputy Shanon de Silva is equally well built, with a fine physique and could be depended on.

The other two coloursmen are Dathika Wickremanayake and Manil Salgado, those showing promise are Milindra Kulangammana and Manoharan Niroshan.

Though Committed and dedicated the Thomians lack experience and depth, but who knows in a big clash as this, they may spring a surprise and win this one too. It has happened before and could happen here as well.

The Master-in-charge of Rowing is, Shirley Panditharatne, the assistant coach is Lasantha Welikala and the coach is, Ajith Goonewardene, who is also the prefect of games.

Goonewardene was of the view that the Thomians were riding the crest of a wave, the past few years on a winning spree and, though Committed and determined, must go through the learning experience of winning and losing which, "we do accept is the product of sport and, the need to take victory and defeat in your stride".

The salient feature of these competitions, is that many a sporting deed and virtue, that count for good have through these encounters surfaced.