Kinross six mile sea swim:

Roshan, Dilanjali worthy winners

Leslie FERNANDO

Twenty four year old Lt. L. Roshan Peiris of Sri Lanka Army and seventeen year old J. G. G. Dilanjali of Seenigama Aquatic Club, stamped their class in sea swimming when they won the men’s and women’s races respectively at the 44th Annual Six Mile Open Sea Swim held at Wellawatta yesterday.

The popular sea swim was conducted by the Kinross Swimming and Life Saving Club and sponsored by Bank of Ceylon and Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd.

Roshan Peiris a former Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda famed swimmer presently attached to the Singhe Regiment who was placed second at the recently concluded Mt. Lavinia two mile sea swim led from the start to turn around at Mt. Lavinia sea and maintained his position in front but Pasindu Thamalsha of Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda who won both the Ambalangoda and Mt. Lavinia sea swim recently joined Roshan on the return swim.

However both were closely battling out to touch the finish line. Roshan touched the finishing mark with a time of 2 hours 27 minutes and 17 seconds. Pasindu also returned the same timing but the chief judge at the finish B. U. G. Amarasekera declared Roshan as the winner.

He equalled the last year’s winner’s timing of A. N. Dissanayake of Sri Lanka Navy. Pasindu Thamalsha placed second while Kelum Sameera of Sri Lanka Army in third position 2:32:08 secs. Roshan carried away the M. G. Sirimanne Memorial Challenge Cup.

In the women’s event J. G. G. Dilanjali the 17 year old ‘A’ Level Student of P. de S. Kularatne MV who was representing Seenigama Aquatic Club who won the last year’s race with a time of 2:47:9 secs had to be satisfied with a time of 2 hours 50 minutes and 27 seconds.

However she retained the title for the second successive year. M. S. K. Medage of Sri Lanka Navy came in second 2:04:53 secs and R. W. D. Soysa of Sri Lanka Army in third place 3:05:07 secs. She was awarded the John Roche Challenge Cup.

Sri Lanka Army with 158 points won the Turab A. Jafferjee Challenge Cup for the men’s team championship. Sri Lanka Navy came second with 84 points and St. Joseph’s College third with 82 points.

Women’s Championship overall winner was not awarded due to lack of women competitors competing at the swim.

Reomal Vanderwall of St. Joseph’s College (15 years) came in first in the juvenile event and was presented the Maharaja Challenge Cup. Rebekah Peiris of Ladies College received the President’s Challenge Cup for the youngest female swimmer (16 years).

J. B. A. Kumara of Kinross Club received the trophy for the men’s oldest simmer. He was awarded the Tissa Ariyaratne Challenge Cup. W. S. S. Perera and Christina Perera were the two swimmers coming in first for Kinross Swimming Club in the men’s and women’s sections. W. S. S. Perera was awarded the Damaa Perera Memorial Challenge Cup while Christine was presented the George De Brun Challenge Cup.