WP shuttling from Dec 10

Anuradha ABEYSEKERA

The 38th Western Province Badminton Association (WPBA) inter-club team championship will be worked off on December 10 and 11 at the S. Thomas College Gymnasium, Mount Lavinia.

WPBA, under the auspices of Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA) will conduct the tournament with York International School being the main sponsor for the second consecutive along with Touchwood Investments. This was revealed during a press briefing at the Colombo Swimming Club Auditorium recently.

Altogether 32 clubs and institutions from the Western Province lined up for this year's championship. The tournament has been grown up to a major annual event in the local badminton calendar since the formation of WPBA in 1973.

According to the WPBA President L.R. Ariyananda, 41 men's teams will battle it out for supremacy in divisions A,B,C and D while 19 ladies' teams will vie for honours in three divisions, namely A,B and C. Ladies 'C' division and men's 'D' divisions will be confined for school shuttlers, where nine men's and seven ladies teams will be in action.

Increasing the number of players, a team will include minimum six shuttlers and a tie will comprise three doubles and two singles.

SLBA President Parakrama Basnayake said that the team championship will bring much more excitement to both players and spectators than the usual single or double events. He also pointed out that the country's shuttlers have reached great hights in the international arena recently by winning six gold medals during the last six months.

Basnayake further said that badminton will be a top favorite sport in bringing a major victory to Sri Lanka in the commonwealth Games and our players, specially Niluka Karunaratne has shown a great progress by being an iconic player in the Asian region.

WPBA Championship has paved a platform to many local talented players over the years and events of this magnitude will surely help to popularize the sport throughout the country. Parakrama thanked the sponsors for their support for the development of Sri Lankan badminton.

Except for the school players there will be cash prizes on offer for the winners. ANCL, Rhythm FM, Supirikrida and Katussa .com will be the media sponsors for the Championship.

York International School CEO Rohan Perera, Touchwood Investment Marketing Manager Jeefry Ebert, SLBA President Parakrama Basnayake, ANCL Editorial Director Seelarathna Senarath, WPBA President L. R. Ariyananda, its Secretary J. S. A. Fernando, WPBA Treasurer Subashini Dissanayake and Tournament Secretary Kathya de Silva were in the head table.

WPBA Tournament Secretary Asanka Peris has also attended the press conference.