The Bolgoda Endurance Challenge Inaugural Regatta 2015 came to an end on the 26th, with a completely new experience for the oarsmen/women and the rowing enthusiast. For the first time in Sri Lanka an boat that could contain eight rowers at the same time was put to race in the waters of Bolgoda.
S.Thomas’s College, Ladies College, Sri Lanka Navy (women) and Sri Lanka Air Force (Men) reached the pier sooner than their rivals to take the gold home.
Women’s Category
In the sculls Senuri De Silva of Musaeus College completed the race in 36 minutes, she was closely followed by Davina Koch of Ladies College by a 45s time gap. Ranuli Wickramasekera also from Musaeus College came in third. Women’s open scull race that was dominated by the women from the forces has 33.05 minutes for the gold medalist from Sri Lanka Army, PPTS Weerasinghe. Second place was taken by RAM Dilhari from Sri Lanka Air Force with 33.12min and third by SHDN Sandamali of Sri Lanka Navy with 34.04 min timing.
Oarswomen from Ladies College (LC) and Musaeus College (MC) raced against time in the eight in the under 19 category. LC emerged champions in this group while MC was placed second by a 1 minute and 27seconds time difference in finishing the race. The energetic school girls who raced the eight for the first time are,
1st place -Ladies College (46.31)
Tarea Karunaratne
Shannon Perera
Veronica Srikumar
Nihara Waravita
Dihanie Amarasinghe
Davina Koch
Chanika Thevarapperuma
Yellani Rasaputra
Tehani Walpola
2nd place – Musaeus College (47.18)
Dilki Wijeyesekera
Senuri De Silva
Ranuli Wickramasekera
Malki Wijeyesekera
Niseni Hewamallika
Binali De Alwis
Maedhini De Alwis
Anuki Hewamallika
Mayanthi Weerakoon
In the open eights for women, teams from Sri Lanka Navy and University of Moratuwa participated. The Navy women’s team had the best timing out of all the women’s eight races. The participation of the women teams were quite less compared to the participation by men’s, this must be due to the Colombo based practice of the ladies teams. But it is expected to see a change in this practice and an increased participation by women in the future.
Women’s Eight – Open
1st place -Sri Lanka Navy (45.52)
GHNS Kumari
GLD Malkanthi
SHDN Sandamali
WAN Damayanthi
SAS Madubashini
MPKJ Kumarasinghe
GGTU Sumanathissa
WAU Subashini
WSK Wimaladasa
2nd place – University of Moratuwa (47.36)
GAG Senalankadhikara
BASW Chandrarathna
JADS Piyamal
KMDA Uchinda
HKTR Karunarathna
H. Gunasekera
GWM Thilini Girihagama
HGU Imega
LKNN Lihinikaduwa
Men’s Category
The scull race in the open category was led by the Sri Lanka Air Force, RKK Chandrakumara and MKB Chathuranga grabbed the gold and silver medal respectively, while HMSA Senaratne from Sri Lanka Army became third. The school of S. Thomas’ College (STC) took more medals home though they had to miss the gold to Champaka Edirimanna of Asian International School. Saliya Gunasekera and Deshitha Hennayake of STC became 2nd and 3rd in the order.
Men’s eight challenge saw more number of participants than the ladies. Oarsmen from S.Thomas’s College, Royal College and Asian International School emerged first, second and third in the school level. And the three forces took all three medals in the men’s open eights.
Men’s Under 19 eights
1st place – S. Thomas’s College (41.05)
Kemil Peter
Deshitha Hennayake
Chirath Dasaanayake
Suramba Serasinghe
Senal Seneviratne
Duvin de Mel
Ramith Nanayakkara
Saliya Gunasekera
Wishmitha Perera
2nd place – Royal College (41.15)
Pramod Rajaguru
Bilal Hassan
Praveen Hapugalla
Prathap Perera
Lasindu Gamage
Lahiru Herath
Amrith Fernando
Sajid Ajmal
Avishka Jayaweera
3rd place- Asian International School (42.31)
Shehaan Abbas
Sonura Jayarathna
Ujitha Hennayake
Thakesha Jayarathna
Sharaan Karunaratne
Khizer Ahamed
Yuvin Wickramanayake
Kiaan Ahamed
Girnath Rajendran
Men’s Open Eights
1st place – Sri Lanka Airforce (37.11)
WGI Jayarathna
RKD Fernando
KSTSN Kariyawasam
GJVPH Manjula
RMU Ranasinghe
HDS Samaraweera
KG Sanjeewa
AAD Sandaruwan
C. Alouysius
2nd place – Sri Lanka Navy (37.55)
TM Piumika
ESVJN Premakumara
SACS Kumara
AGW Ptiyadharshana
WGSL Gunaratne
BGDI Karunarathne
NGAN Gunawardane
HASG Hathurusinghe
JC Nishantha
3rd place – Sri Lanka Army (38.52)
RDKS Weerasinghe
W. Pushpakumara
DMAI Dissanayake
PGCS Karunaratne
W.S Asitha
LPP Sameera
EPN Prasad
MPM Medonza
DMA Deepal Kumara
In this inaugural regatta timings have been set for the first time. This first step should be closely followed breaking all the barriers to reach the international standards.
