Kinross six-mile-sea swim on March 18

Richard Dwight

The 66 year old Kinross Swimming and Life Saving Club, which through the years has been committed to the cause of promoting and fostering water sports, will conduct its 42nd annual 'Six-mile sea-swim' - that commences from the sea adjoining the Kinross Club premises, on the morning of March 18.

With time, this well established sea swim has turned out to be a much looked forward to popular sporting event, amongst the different participants and followers of the sports-giving as well the members of the club an occasion for fellowship.

According to the chairman of the organizing committee, Sheriff Abdul Rahuman, this highly competitive event, the longest swimming race in the island on the sea, has proved attractive to many a swimmer. Mainly because the six-mile-sea stretch, has been most exciting to be both a gruelling and a challenging course to bring out the best in swimming skills from the competitors.

It was gathered from the Secretary of the organizing committee, Victor Peiris, that this year's 'Six mile sea swim' assumes a measure of importance, in that quite a few swimmers from abroad are expected to take part.

The competition is open to both male and female swimmers, who are over 15 years of age, and in the case of the local competitors they should be registered swimmers of the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU) and should have participated in the annual two mile swim or in a Two Mile Sea Swim sanctioned the SLASU, during the last three years and finished the racer within 70 minutes.

The race will begin on March 18 from Kinross and proceed to the Mt. Lavinia Hotel end, turn around and progress to finish at Kinross.

The trophies to be awarded are:

M. G. Sirimanne Memorial Challenge Cup for the winner of the Men's race

John Roche Challenge Cup for the winner of the Women's race

Turab Jafferjee Challenge Cup for the winning Men's team

Guy Theideman Memorial Challenge Cup for winning Women's team

Dama Perera Challenge Cup for the first Kinross Swimmer to finish the race within 4hrs 30 mts.

Maharajah Challenge Cup for the youngest male swimmer to finish the race within 4 hrs 30 mts.

President's Challenge Cup for the youngest Female swimmer to finish the race within 4 hrs 30 mts

Tissa Ariyaratne Challenge Cup for the Oldest swimmer.