Lalin & son Akshan, win main fleet race

Lipton's Sailing Regatta

Richard Dwight

SAILING: The forerunner to the main fleet race at last Sunday's Unilivers sponsored annual Lipton Cup Sailing Regatta at the Ceylon Motor, Yacht Club, Bolgoda - was the 'optimist' race for juniors below 16 years of age.

It was by no means a pleasant prospect for the youngsters in their respective 'Optimist' boats as the conditions for these junior sailors could have been very much better.

Even worse was that, through the recent rains the water on the lake had swelled to be choppy, with strong winds prevailing, which to an extent was helpful for sailing.

However, the up and coming young 'uns' not to be outdone, with bustling enthusiasm and excitement set sail hoping for the best on the set course.

Radhika Jirasinha was the pick of the juniors, sailing well enough to win, with Devin Goonewardena and Sehr Gunewardene coming second and third respectively, while Dimitri Goonewardena won the sub-junior (under-12) category.

One amongst other senior sailing regattas in the annual sailing calendar of the CMYC is the much looked forward to Lipton's Sailing competition.

In those early formative years, Sir Thomas Lipton, as Chairman of Liptons here, did much for the furtherance of sailing in the island.

Being a sailor himself he sailed for the America's Cup, the world's most prestigious yachting event, no less than five times. Lipton not only sponsored trophies in Sri Lanka but also in the US. And so its meet and right that he be remembered through this annual regatta.

At this year's main fleet race for the Lipton Cup, the reputed sailor Lalin Jirasinha, a former Asian Games a former Asian Games Bronze medallist, sailing a GP14 and crewed by his son, Akshan Jirasinha, was the first across the line to be the winner, with Asanka Goonewardena (helm) and Rohan Pethiyagoda (crew) as runners-up, while Joseph Kenny (helm) and Pramukshi Kariyawasam (crew) coming in third. A total of 15 boats participated. The presentation of awards were made by Avi de Silva of Unilever, Sri Lanka.