Carlton Super Sports in late January

Bernard PERERA

The fifth annual Carlton Super Sports 2011 organized by Tharunyata Hetak Organization is scheduled from January 28, 29 and 30 at Tissamaharama. The 2011 festival comes with the introduction of few new sporting disciplines said Secretary Tharunyata Hetak Organization Lalith Pium Perera addressing the media men.

First it was named as the Carlton Super Cross which had Motor Cross, Mountain Biking and cycling. But year by year the Festival added more disciplines and it became a Sports Festival and was later named as the 'Carlton Super Sports'. With the addition of Water Sports two years ago it attracted many participants a well as spectators, said the Secretary.

The Triathlon is the latest addition to the Sports Festival introduced to give an opportunity for many rural participants. The participants for this event will first swim 750 meters and ride for 20 kilometers before running a distance of 5 kilometers said the organizer for the event Richard de Zoysa addressing the media. He who also making arrangements for the Motor Cross said that a total of twenty events (ten car events and ten Motorcycle events) are scheduled for January 30.

He further added that all leading drivers and riders are expected to compete at this meet which also happens to be the first Motor Cross for the new year 2011. On previous four occasions too the people of the Southern Province had the opportunity to witness these top notch drivers and riders in action at the Ceylon Auto Drome in Tissamaharama.

Water Sports

Two years ago the Water Sports was introduced to the Festival with Thusal Gunewardene the chief organizer taking great pains in doing the same. It was at this occasion that water sports was introduced to the inland water Lakes for the first time. His main intention was to make good use of the inland waters resources for sports which was never thought of and also to give the rural fork the chance to get involved in a sport that was confined only to coastal area where most of the tourists were engaged in this sport. But with the introduction of water sports in to these inland waters many have taken to the sport, he said.

Thusal said previous years it was only rowing and wind surfing were competed by the rowers and sailors who were from the coastal areas competed but last year saw many new comers from these areas too making an effort to enter this field. With the local entry in to the sport a high class competition is expected as they too have lot of talent with them.

The latest addition to the sport is the boat race which will be participated by the Sri Lanka Navy along with other leading Clubs, said Thusal.

Giving more details he said that the format for the water sports has changed as the distances of all events are rescheduled to comply with the international standards. Though the previous distance was limited to 2 kilometers ahavenow been extended to 5 kilometers. Distances of all other water sports events too have been revised, said Thusal.

4X4 Challenge

As in the previous years this the 4X4 Challenge to will be an interesting affair for the motor sports loving public said Malith Dissanayake speaking on the event. He added that like in the past a convoy of around fifty Jeeps will leave Colombo on January 28 from Greenpath at 9 am and reach Tissamaharama in the evening. The event is scheduled for January 29.

The organizers have planned to have a special event for the Safari Drivers from the Hambantota District. This decision had to be taken as most of the drivers involved in safaris are a keen lot and to keep them in the sport and also to show their skills at competitive level in the this kind of activity said Malith. Around fifty competitors are expected for this particular event from the area, said Malith.

Mountain Biking

Mountain Biking is one sport that was conducted trough out the last four years with the Mountain Biking Association led by Amal Suriyage joining the Tharunyata Hetak Organization from the inception of the Carlton Super Gross. This sport has caught up specially with the schoolchildren of the Southern Province.

Suriyage addressing the media on this day said that the rural folk is familiar with two wheeler very much but when it came to Mountain Biking it was a new trend for them in the early years.

He said that in the very first year the children from the are was not accustomed to the sport and the Association had to supply them with bikes and other equipments needed for the competitors as their was lot of interest shown by the children.

This attracted many young ones to the sport and the number increased year by year and last there were over 400 competitors participating, said Suriyage. This the number is expected rise further and could reach the 500 mark.

As in previous years there will events for boys and girls under 10, 13, 16 and 19 and the Open event for men and women. The under ten event for boys and girls will be of 1 kilometer and will be run concurrently. The under 13 and 16 riders are to complete one lap with distance covering 2.4 kilometers, while the under 19 category competitors are to cover two laps.

The open event for men is 25 kilometers while their opposite number will ride for only ten kilometers, said Suriyage.

The winners of the men and women Open event are to receive Namal Rajapaksa Challenge trophies and cash awards.

Shooting

The latest and the most interesting event introduced for the Carlton Super Sports is the Shooting events. As this event enters the Tissamaharama Games only two events are scheduled to be conducted on a new location specially made for this.

The events to be worked off are the Air Pistol and Air Rifle.

According to the organizers they expect many leading shooters from all parts of the country to make their way to this new range to show their skills in the sport and to promote the sport in the area.

More details on the Carlton Super Sports will appear in due course.