This year’s crew comprised 20 members. Colombo Rowing Club won both Men’s and women’s category championship at this regatta.
The rowing crew representing the Colombo Rowing Club participated in the 78th Madras Colombo regatta which was held in India from 21st July.
The Madras Colombo was inaugurated in the year 1898 by the Madras Boat Club and is known for being one of the oldest inter-institutional boat races in the world. It is noteworthy that this year, Madras Colombo regatta marks 118 years of this friendship and rivalry between two of the oldest rowing clubs in the region. This regatta included both men’s and women’s category and each category had a scull race, double scull race, pair race and four race and the winners were decided on a point system based on timing.
Hashen Weerakkody and Suhith Alexender of Colombo Rowing Club won the Mens sculls ‘B’ and Men’s sculls ‘A’ races respectively at the regatta. Men’s sculls pair ‘B’ was won by Ruven Weerasinghe and Sajeev de Silva of Colombo Rowing Club, while Sharan Sanjay and Darshan Choudry of Madras Boat Club won the men’s pair ‘A’ race. Lasaru Kudaligama and Hashen Weerakkody of Colombo Rowing Club won the men’s double sculls ‘B’ and Men’s double sculls ‘A’ was won by Suhith Alexnder and Saliya Gunasekara of Colombo Rowing Club.
Lasaru Kudeligama, Praveen Hapugalle, Suramba Serasinghe, Saliya Gunasekara and Kaveen Rajapakse of Colombo Rowing Club won the Men’s fours ‘B’ while Philip James, Saketh Reddy, Sharan Sanjay, Darshan Choudry and Sanjay Gandhi of Madras Boat Club won the Men’s fours ‘A’ race at the event.
Samaakhya Gajanayake of Colombo Rowing Club won the Women’s sculls while women’s pair event was won by Ranjana and Rithika Vivek of Madras Boat Club. Womens fours event was won by Colombo Rowing Club and the crew comprised Davina Koch, Nihara Waravita, Ashivini Subasinghe, Ishara Abbey and Lasaru Kudeligama.
The masters’ race at this regatta was won by Madras Boat Club and the crew comprised Satish Kumar, Prem Karthik, Vivek Danda and Anirudh Sanjeev.
The overall championship in the men’s category was won by Colombo Rowing Club by obtaining 30 points. Madras Boat Club was able to obtain 20 points in the men’s category. At the same time, women’s championship was also won by Colombo Rowing Club by getting 19 points. Madras Boat Club obtained 6 points in the women’s category.