Carlton Super Sports to add colour to Hambantota

Anuradha ABEYSEKERA

The Carlton Super Sports 2012, the multi-event sports extravaganza will unfurl its sixth edition from January 27 to 29 in and around Hambantota. This was revealed during a press briefing at the National Olympic House.

The event was inaugurated in 2006 as Carlton Super Cross , mainly focusing motor racing but altered it cause lately, adding more events. Tharnyata Hetak organization under the leadership of Hambantota District Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa took the initiative in taking Colombo centralized many sport activities to rural areas through the organization's sports wing, Carlton Sports.

The Carlton Super Sports 2012 will be a unique experience for both participants and spectators as it will feature eight competitive sports and a Para-motoring Display. The Sri Lanka Open Triathlon which introduced last year to the agenda will consist of 750m swim, 20km cycling and 5km running events and will be a major attraction. The top 10 athletes in the triathlon event will get free entries for the famous Colombo triathlon. Entries for the triathlon event will be closed on January 20 and applications should send by post or fax to Tharnyata Hetak office, 260/12 Torington Avenue, Colombo 5.

Another special feature will be the motor convoy which the participants of the motor car racing, motor cycle and 4x4 events will parade from Gall Face, Colombo to Tissamaharamaya, Carlton Track on the opening day.

The 4x4 event will include three categories, 4x4 extreme, 4x4 standard and Safari Class. The event has been organized allocating ample view points for the spectators. Some of the top level local and foreign competitors will be in action in the motor sport events.

Carlton pioneered to take wind surfing and sailing into the inland waters and the water sport venue will be the Tissa Lake where the first South Asian Beach Games conducted its water sport events. Few

school teams and Forces teams have confirmed their participation in the Rowing event.

The mountain bike races will conduct in a 1.5km track where a large number of participants are expected to take part. Altogether 11 mountain bike events are on card and more than 500 riders are expected to take part.

Tug of War and Pistol Shooting will be the other exciting events to watch.

The event will be a talent search and a good platform for the rural talents as the organizers expect a large number of participation from the remote areas.

Speaking at the press briefing Tharunyata Hetak Secretary Lalith Piyum Perera revealed that the sports wing of the Tharunyata Hetak organization has always been a great supporter of country's sports and has funded many charity projects. The Anuradha Pura Hospital building and Jaffna Central College swimming pool were build from the funds earned in the early editions of the Carlton Super Sports and this year, they hope to allocate funds for the sports development in the country. Tharunyata Hetak Director Dr. Chula Senarathne, its Chief Organizer Janaka Sri Warnasinghe and Carlton Sports Director Ronie Ibrahim were also in the head table.