Eshan and Damayanthi win Kinross six-mile sea swim

Richard Dwight

Swimming : The Thomian swimmer, Eshan Fernando proved to be a consistent performer, when for the second consecutive year he emerged winner of the six-mile sea swim held on Sunday at the Kinross Swimming and Life Saving Club.

Whilst in the women's race, on the identical stretch of water, Vajira Damayanthi of P. de S. Kularatna MV, Ambalangoda, was most outstanding to come out on top to be the winner.

This annual event for the 42nd year has been organised and conducted by the Kinross Sports Club with the active support of Bank of Ceylon for a considerable period of time.

This six-mile sea swim, though an exhaustive ordeal being gruelling to be challenging, has grown popular through years to bring out the best in the swimmers on the sea stretch from Kinross to Mt. Lavinia Hotel and back to Kinross.

There were 55 swimmers in the men's race drawn from 8 clubs and 5 schools, whilst the women contenders numbered 8 swimmers, from 2 clubs and 3 schools.

In conditions that were near perfect the swimmers men and women commenced swimming at 7.45 a.m. Amongst the men, the 17-year-old Eshan Fernando, and Advanced Level student at S. Thomas' College was most impressive to swim strongly to deftly stave of challenges that came his way from Dolphin Aquatic Club's Sumudu Tshan and Jude Perera of St. Peter's College.

Eventually Fernando triumphed with a timing of 2 hours 30 minutes and 17 seconds, Tshan came second with 2:34:05, placed third was Perera with 2:34:09. Coming in fourth and fifth respectively were the two Josephians, Ashen Fernando 2:36:28 and Shan Rupesinghe 2:38:45, with the other competitors following thereafter.

In the women's race the 3 girls from, P. de S. Kularatna MV, Ambalangoda, swam well to take the first three places in Vajira Damayanthi with a timing of 2 hrs: 53 mts: 56 secs, K. Dilanjali 2:56:11 and K. G. G. Dilani 3:22:10. Placed fourth was Chamari Nisansala Mendis 3:39:31 from Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda and coming in fifth was Ananda Balika Vidyalaya's Thilini Perera with 3:43:08.

The coach of the first three women swimmers of P. de S. Kularatna MV, Janaka Lal, said he was highly pleased with the performance of his charges for the reason that despite not given adequate facilities and having to practise in rivers and streams and occasionally if resources permit, hire out the Dharmasoka swimming pool - the girls have come out on top.

Before the distribution of the prizes the chief guest, Saliya Rajakaruna, the Chief Financial Officer, Bank of Ceylon, and the President Kinross SC Morgan Fernando, addressed the gathering. The arrangements for the event was handled by the Vice President Sheriff Rahuman, Past President Victor Peiris and the General Secretary K. Chandrakumar.

Awards

M. G. Sirimanne Memorial Challenge Cup for the winner (men) and cash - Eshan Fernando (S. Thomas' Mtl).

John Roche Challenge Cup for the winner (women) and cash - Vajira Damayanthi (P. de S. Kularatna MV).

Turab A. Jafferjee Challenge Cup for the men's championship - St. Joseph's College, Colombo.

Guy Theideman Memorial Challenge Cup for the women's championship - P. de S. Kularatna MV, Ambalangoda.

Maharaja Challenge Cup for the youngest swimmer (male) - Sameera de Silva (Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda).

President's Challenge Cup for the youngest swimmer (female) - Dulanji Kaushalya. Tissa Ariyaratne Challenge Cup for the oldest swimmer - K. D. H. Susantha (Police).

Dama Perera Memorial Challenge Cup for the first Kinross swimmer - W. S. Perera. Cash awards were also made to the 2nd and 3rd of the main race for men and women.