Sports

Aravinda champion for third successive year

by Bernard Perera

Young Aravinda Premadasa became a clear winner for the third successive year in the SLARDAR champion with a total 100 points gained from ten out of eleven events in the championship for the group SL-A cars upto 3500 cc.

His closest rival Reyaz Farook had collected 41 points competing in only eight events throughout the year 2005. Aravinda managed to win all ten races he competed. His only miss being the event number two at Minneriya gunners super cross. He won the event No. 1 and gave a miss in the second which was won by Reyaz Farook. This victory for Farook was his only victory during the season.

Feroz Omar who was placed second in four events with a total of 32 points had to content with the third slot in this category. He too missed four events during the season. Nishan Wasalathanthri last year's champion in the group SL-N cars Ford Laser/Mazda won the championship for a second time pushing back his main rival Upulwan Serasinghe to runners up slot.

Upulwan finished at the same position last year too behind Nishan. The champion this year had collected 81 points from a possible 110 points after competing in all eleven events conducted during the season. He has recorded six victories and had three runner-up positions for his tally of points.

Meanwhile Upulwan managed to register only two wins and Dhammika Pieris who competed in only four events during the season had an aggregate of 34 points which came from three wins and one placing. Had he competed in more events Dhammika could have easily posed a big threat to two leading drivers.

In the Motor cycles category it was Gayan Sandaruwan who stole the limelight throughout the championship. Participating in seven races he was able to accumulate 64 points out of 70 points on offer. He recorded six victories from seven races.

For his victoric he used a Honda MRF 250 cycle which is the latest racing bike on the track these days. He became a super star during the season when he out drove all veterans in this category. It was Rehan Buuljens and Ananda Wedisinghe who were always posed a threat to young schoolboy Gayan at every meeting. Rehan and Ananda could muster only 31 and 21 points respectively and were trailing behind Guyan right throughout the racing season.

The championship event for Juniors under 16 group MX Racing upto 85 CC was won by Yohan Rajith Silva. He was declared the winner by the organizers when Ishan Dassanayake tied with Yohan with 42 points each. Both these riders had three victories but as Yohan who was placed second in two events and Ishan with three third placings the organisers decided to adjudge the former as champion for his superior placings.

Both these riders competed in only three meets, Fox Hill, Diyatalawa, Gunners Super Cross at Minneriya and Gajaba Super Cross at Saliyapura, Anuradhapura. Others who were engaged in the championship are Sasindu Pieris placed third with 32 points and Ruvnisha Buultjens (8 points) and Monarl Wanigasuriya (8 points), Maduranga Caldera with four appearances for the group P STD/MD upto 125 CC (2 stroke) & upto 250 CC (4 stroke) will receive the 2005 championship for the year 2005. His for appearances brought him 32 points from two wins an two runner up positions.

His closest rival Damian Gunetilleke with two victories at Katukuranda the only competition he appeared managed to collect the maximum of 20 points. Danushka Gomes who gave a stiff run to Maduranga at Katukuranda in the first stage was the man placed in the third position, 12 points.

The championship for 2005 was organised and conducted by Sri Lanka Association for Racing Drivers and Riders was held at five different venues, Radella, Katukurunda (two stages), Fox Hill Diyatalawa, Gunners Super Cross, Minneriya and Gajaba Super Cross, Saliyapura, Anuradhapura.

Except for Radella Hill climb at all other venues drivers and riders faced the starter on two occasions for which points were awarded. All winners and runners up of the SLARDAR championships are to receive their awards for the year 2005 at Waters Edge tomorrow at a grand function organised by Sri Lanka Association for Racing Drivers and Riders commencing 7.30 pm onwards.