S Thomas’ oarsmen win Regatta easily

by Sajeewa Jayakody

S Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia oarsmen won the annual Regatta and Boat Race comprehensively to grab the TN Fernando Memorial Trophy for the 20th time in history of the Sri Lanka’s pioneer schools Rowing Regatta, which is held against Royal College, Colombo. Thomians oarsmen accumulated 40 points well ahead of Royal crew, who collected only 12 in the 1,000 metre long course on Beira Lake waters, Colombo yesterday.

Before the high scoring Boat Race, Thomians were in an unassailable lead as the Mount Lavinia School had racked 28 points when Royal crew was on 12.

With the win of 44th Boat Race, S Thomas’ College aggregated 40 points while Royalists were remained on 12.

S Thomas’ captured the Boat Race by a huge four-length lead as the crew, consisting of Ramesh Nanayakkara (Bow), Sandesh Bartlett (Two), Anuradha Nadaraja (Three), Mushaid Munshif (Stroke) and Kemil Peter (Cox) cruised to victory in 3:04 seconds rowing in the inside course ahead of Royal crew of Pramod Rajaguru (Bow), Uvin Siriwardana (Two), Keshan Ranasinghe (Three), Dulaj Rajaguru (Stroke) and Kaveen Rajapakse (Cox), who timed 3:16 in in the 1000-metre long course.

S Thomas’, the defending champions fielded experienced crew of Anuradha Nadaraja, Ramith Nanayakkara, Kemil Perera, who were in the party of last year’s Boat Race winning crew.

Royal College, who stalled in four points for a long time, took the title of the Junior Four (B Four) and held aloft the Eraj Wijesinghe Trophy.

The crew of Shavindra de Costa (Bow), Lahiru Herath (Two), Amrith Fernando (Three), captain Ishan Perera (Stroke) and Kaveen Rajapakse (Cox) finished in 3:12 seconds with a three-length lead competing in the outside course. Royalists Bilal Hassan and Dulaj Rajaguru, who competed in the Junior Double Scull (B 2x) took the title of the particular event winning the Mohideen Phillips Trophy. The duo reached the finishing mark in 3:14 seconds while Thomians skipper Ming-Hua Change and Ramith Nanayakkara toured the 1000-metre course in 3:18 seconds winning by one and a half length.