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Sunday, 17 July 2005  
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The sea his first love

by Thava Sajitharan

Water might have horrified many and kept them numb for long in the aftermath of the fateful December 26. Yet, there are those who have an inseparable and intimate love towards the sea.

To Asanka Sanjeewa, Arugam Bay - a 19-year old young boy who belongs to a fisher family, nothing else is as close as water for he was born and brought up with that all important and indispensable resource. The salty water of the sea has always quenched his many aspirations.

Today, he is a champion surfer in Arugam bay acclaimed by many professional surfers from various parts of the world.

When he was 10 years old, he was not aware that the sea waves in his village were admired by so many people all around the world. Every time he saw some foriegn persons visiting his village and performing a sport that was so unusual to him and he was thrilled! He wondered how it was possible for them to move above the rushing waves smoothly standing over a flat board. And was wanted to master the sport.

But, all he had were broken pieces of boat to learn it. He was not disappointed but desperate. And now in the surfing championship competitions held every year in Arugam bay, you could here the commentator (a poor foreign commentator always struggling not to swallow the latter part of his name, yet invariably failing) repeatedly pronouncing Asanka's name with excitement. Spectators eyebrows would raise when seeing him piercing through the water.

Asanka became the champion last year and won the runner-up this year. He has devoted much of his soul to the sport. The love he has for the sea and the waves is such that his eyes would gleam with delight whenever you speak to him on the subject.

Of course, the wrath of the sea waves turned it's ugly face and plundered the wealth and exhilaration of his clan, his residence and belongings also got swept away when the tsunami invaded. He, now, runs a boutique on the coast.

Another noticeable thing about Asanka is that he speaks both local languages fluently like many others in his village. He has family members whose mother tongue is either Sinhala or Tamil. He and his cousin Susantha Suntharalingam who won the championship this year, claim that there were so many families in the surrounding villages, who are at ease with both languages.

Many believe that Asanka could be sent for international surfing events if he was given proper training. Then, need we say that Sri Lanka should be proud of him?


ANCL TENDER- Platesetter

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