Blues Battle for Rowing Supremacy
Richard DWIGHT
The oarsmen of Royal College and S. Thomas’s have through the years
done well to ensure that their annual contest on Beira waters, be it the
boat race or regatta be as competitive as possible to hold the interest
of many.
And so they will as in the past, converge on October 27 on the banks
of the Beira Lake alongside the Colombo Rowing Club, to witness this
yearly duel between these two leading schools. As in the past years the
regatta is being sponsored by Dialog.
Be that as it may, sad though it be, yet it’s true that for reasons
best known to the two schools, last year’s (2006) regatta was not held -
at the most, if needs be it could have been postponed. It did come as a
bitter disappointment to many, who with much expectancy look forward to
this annual encounter on water.
This well meaning healthy, traditional exercise between Royal and S.
Thomas came into being with good intentions and, it must therefore be
the responsibility of these well established longstanding institutions
to sustain and maintain it in sequence, without dropping a regatta. For
to do otherwise will surely undermine to weaken the standard and stature
of the ‘Blues’ Regatta.
The boat race which had its origin in 1962, preceded the regatta
which commenced in 1966, wherein was also included the boat race. The
regatta was not held for 7 years from 1973 to 1979, and last year 2006,
which meant that there wasn’t the boat race either during these
corresponding years.
The last regatta was held in the year 2005, and in the recent years
prior to this the Thomian’s have been the dominant force in that they
enjoy an overall tally lead of 3 in the Boat race and, are ahead in the
regatta as well by 4. Of the 37 boat races held thus far, S. Thomas’
have won 20 to Royals’ 17 and, out of the 33, regattas, S. Thomas’ lead
with 17 to Royals’ 13, with 3 regattas being tied in the years 1993,
2003 and 2005. If the competition in the series is to be kept on a tight
even keel, then the oarsmen of Royal should strive to reduce this
Thomain lead, when they meet them next Saturday.
The 2005 regatta saw the oarsmen of Royal holding the whiphand having
won 3 events to S. Thomas’ 2. Out of a possible determinant of 40 points
Royal were well placed with 20 points to S. Thomas’ 8 Pts: Everything
therefore hung on the decisive sixth and final event, the prestigious
boat race, also referred to as the “Fours”, that carries 12 pts: for the
winner. And so an exciting tense battle between the ‘Fours’ of either
side ensued, they matched each other length for length, stroke for
stroke and headed for the finish almost together - but the Thomains just
put in a little more extra thrust, to win by a whisker to gain 12 pts
and aggregate 20 Pts, to be on par with Royal and to so draw the 2005
regatta.
As in the past the events for the 2007 regatta will be identical, in
that there will be six races, which are the senior ‘A’ Fours for the
Boat Race Trophy 12 Pts: Senior ‘B’ Fours for the Eraj Wijesinge Trophy
8 Pts: Senior ‘A’ Pairs for the Freddie Raux Trophy 8 Pts Senior ‘A’
Sculls for the Senior Sculls Trophy 6 pts: Senior ‘B’ Pairs for the
Chula Samarasinghe Trophy 4 Pts: Senior ‘B’ Sculls for the Ajith
Goonewardene Trophy 2 Pts. This makes an available aggregate of 40 Pts.
There will in addition be a junior Fours race for the Percy Fernando
Trophy and, an Old Boys race, both of which do not come into the
reckoning for the Regatta Championship. The overall winners will be
awarded, the T.N. Fernando Trophy.
Royal will be led by third year coloursman, Maalik Aziz, his deputy
is third year coloursman Dinouk Perera, the other coloursmen are Lishan
Wickremanayaka and Mahima Weerasinghe. The rest of the squad comprises
Lakitha Liyanage, Chirath Karunanayake, Radhika Weerasekara, Miyuru
Jayawardene, Dhanushka Perera and Mevan Jayatilleke. The team is coached
by Hiran Dorenegama with assistance from Asiri Abheyatne and the
Master-in-Charge being R. Rajasooriyar. The Thomians are skippered by
fifth year coloursman, Dathika Wickremanayake, with second year
coloursman Manil Salgado as vice captain, the other two coloursmen are
Devon Hallock and Rajitha Wickremasekera, the others making up the pool
are Saliya Kalupathirana, Dhanukha Jayanetti, Kusum Manawadu, Arjun
Manohara, Eshan Goonewardene, Jayan Peiris, Uween Jayasinghe, Yanik
Salgado, Adnaan Issadeen and Amrik Wariya. The team is coached by Ajith
Goonewardene, assisted by Lasantha Welikala and the teacher-in-charge
being Tanya Bartlett.
As both Schools were deprived of a contest last year, since the
regatta was not held, the two teams are reviving it up to row away with
Royal having the edge over S. Thomas, Royal College are acting as hosts
this year, with the 1983 captain of Royal, Asela Gunawardena as the
chief guest.
Winners of the boat race since its inception in 1962
Year College Captain
1962 Royal L.A.W. Sirisena
1963 Royal M.E. Wijesinghe
1964 S.Thomas’ C.N. Sirimanne
1965 S.Thomas’ E.C. Anthoniz
1966 S.Thomas’ E.C. Anthoniz
1967 S.Thomas’ L.Sirimanne
1968 Royal A.Kumarasinghe
1969 Royal A. Wijetunge
1970 Royal E.R. Perera
1971 S.Thomas’ N.R. Seevaratnam
1972 Royal P. Fernando
1980 S.Thomas’ F. Moheed
1981 Royal K. Ratnayake
1982 Royal S. de Silva
1983 S.Thomas’ S. Senarath
1984 S.Thomas’ M.L. De. Silva
1985 Royal C.Corea
1986 S.Thomas’ K.R. Soysa
1987 Royal N. Samarawickrema
1988 Royal V. Gunawardene
1989 S.Thomas’ P. Vithanage
1990 Royal C. Abhayarante
1991 S.Thomas’ S. Mendis
1992 Royal C. Gunawardena
1993 Royal D. Gunawardena
1994 S.Thomas’ R. Seneviratne
1995 S.Thomas’ D. Aluvihare
1996 S.Thomas’ R.S. Wanigatunge
1997 S.Thomas’ S.De. Silva
1998 Royal S.Tennekoon
1999 S.Thomas’ H. Henry
2000 Royal C. Seneviratne
2001 Royal Tala Shums
2002 S.Thomas’ Preshith Ganegoda
2003 S.Thomas’ Isuru Perera
2004 S.Thomas’ Dejan de Zoysa
2005 S.Thomas’ Dinushka Aluwihare
The Boat Race was not held for 7 years (1973 to 1979) it wasn’t held
last year 2006 as well, as the regatta did not take place of the 37
boat races held thus far S. Thomas have won 20 to Royal’s 17. |
