SAG oarsmen row today

Richard Dwight

ROWING: For the first time an international competition in rowing, in the nature and form of the South Asian Games, takes place on the 2000 metre water stretch of Thotapola, Bolgoda this morning at 10 a.m.

Contests in rowing though not at the highest level, was confined to the Beira Lake course, which did not measure up to international standards, in that it lacked sufficient length and lanes and, the answer to this, was the Bolgoda waterway, which was accepted.

This therefore from the point of Sri Lanka rowing is historic and the local oarsmen will no doubt strive to do even better than their last year's performance in Pakistan where they won 7 silver and 5 bronze medals.

In the fray for rowing supremacy in the region, are oarsmen from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.

The competition starts this morning with four open events, where there would be no weight restrictions viz; sculls, double sculls, coxless pairs and coxless fours. The award ceremony will be held at 12.30 p.m.

The contest continues on Monday morning 21 with 3 events for light weight boats viz. sculls, double sculls/coxless paris and coxless fours. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 12.45 p.m.