Ladies-Musaeus clash on October 6

Leslie Fernando

ROWING: Top rowing fare could be witnessed with Ladies College and Musaeus College vying for major honours at the annual regatta to be held on October 6 (Saturday) on the Beira Waters at Colombo Rowing Club commencing at 2 p.m.

October regatta between the two leading women’s rowing teams should be a close affair as the oarswomen from both schools have performed exceptionally well in the warm-up regattas and recently concluded 23rd Rowing Nationals.

However Ladies College oarswomen who emerged women’s Open Overall Champions and Intermediate Champions at the Rowing Nationals are fancied to win the title. But Musaeus College who became the Junior women’s champions at the nationals and who are the holders of Marie Musaeus Higgings Challenge Trophy are bound to offer stiff opposition to Ladies College.

It is worthy to note that Ladies College and Musaeus College today form the vanguard of women’s rowing in Sri Lanka. Both crews have exhibited their strong flare and love for the sport by winning many prestigious titles which has made their presence felt in the sports arena.

Both schools oarswomen are hard at training under their respective coaches Ajith Gunawardena (Musaeus) and Udesh Hettiarachchi (Ladies College) on the Beira Waters. According to both coaches the team with much courage, power and fine team work should come out victorious.

Amenthi Weerasinghe, Amayi Madawala, Amaya Jayasuriya, Sarani Jayawardena are expect to perform well for the Ladies College and Musaeus College will expected good performances from Sachitra Jayatilake, Vinuri Jayasundara Swarnamali Wijesinghe and Sanjeewani Kularatne. The eight oarswomen from both schools fared prominently at the Rowing Nationals.

The following events will be worked off - ‘A’ Scull, ‘B’ Scull, ‘C’ Four, ‘B’ Four, ‘A’ Four, ‘B’ Pair, ‘A’ Pair, and Boat Race.

The winners and runners-up in respective events will be presented medals and the overall champions will receive the Marie Musaeus Higgings Challenge Trophy.

In the series, Ladies College won in 2004 and Musaeus College won it in 2005. The regatta was not held last year due to South Asian Games.