Kinross Six-mile sea swim on March 28

Richard Dwight

The 69-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 organize and conduct its 45th annual six-mile sea swim.

It will be held on Sunday March 28 and commence at 7.30 a.m. on the sea front alongside the Wellawatte Kinross Club, with the swimmers proceeding towards the Mt. Lavinia Hotel and swimming back to the finishing line on the shores of the Kinross Club.

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

This highly competitive event, the longest swimming race in the island on the sea, regarded as the "Big Swim of Sri Lanka" - has proved attractive to many a swimmer, mainly because the six-mile-sea stretch has been most exciting to be both a gruelling and challenging course to bring out the best in swimming skills from the competitors.

This 'Big Sea Swim' is open to all men and women who should be over 15 years. Locals especially, must ensure that they are members of clubs which are affiliates of the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union - and, have had sufficient experience in long distance swimming.

The event in the past has been sponsored by Bank of Ceylon, with Mobitel (Pvt) Ltd. chipping in as well last year. Both Bank of Ceylon and Mobitel are expected to extend their generosity this year too.

Last year there were 66 males and 9 females and, of them as many as 60 males and all but one female competitor finished the race within the standard time of 4 1/2 hours.

The men's race was won by Lt. L. R. K. Peiris of Sri Lanka Army last year with a time 2 hrs. 27 mts. and 17 seconds - whilst the Women's race was won by K. G. G. Dulanjalee Kaushalya of the Seenigama Aquatic Club.

Apart from the cash awards that would be made, there would also be the annual challenge trophies.