From Rowing to Motor Racing...:

Dinesh Deheragoda comes 2nd in Asia Cup Rally

by Ranjan Anandappa

From rowing to racing, Sri Lanka's Dinesh Deheragoda has opened new avenues for the country's motor racing fraternity by becoming second in the recently concluded Asia Cup Rally in the Asia Pacific Rally Championships (APRC) which was held in three stages.

The Championship was no ordinary meet which was conducted by the FIA (Federation Internationale DE L' Automobile) the world racing governing body.

Competing for the first time in a racing championship of this magnitude, the 47-year-old former Thomian oarsman turned racing driver, Deheragoda's feat was remarkable which has certainly put Sri Lanka in the world motor racing map.

At S.Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia, Deheragoda was known for his rowing prowess, where he captained the school rowing team. In 1989 and 1990 he was the captain of the Sri Lanka Rowing Team which

participated in the Asian Rowing Championship. Presently he is involved in the National Rowing Selection Committee.

At the moment, he has taken a back seat in rowing as he cannot be a competitor and engage himself in the selection process. Deheragoda concentrates more on his race driving at the present time.

A jubilant Deheragoda expressed his sentiments and said that he never expected to go so far in the championship.

"First of all I must say that I am very glad of coming second in the Asia Cup. It is a major championship conducted by the FIA the highest body for motor racing in the world, based in France.

So, it's not just a club event that one could go to in Japan or Malaysia and come back victorious. It is a FIA sanctioned event that is conducted within Asia. The FIA has four different Rally Championships spread across the globe.

They are _ one in South America and North America, the second one is the European Rally Championship, The African Rally Championship and the Asian Rally Championship.

The Asian Rally Championship is for the Asia Cup, So what I have achieved at this competition is conducted by the FIA. So it is important, because it is recognised globally.

It has value and weight rather than a club championship'. Said the champion driver Deheragoda.

He said that there were eight participants, including himself and seven of them have been participating in previous rallies.

The one who had been participating the least has run thrice. I have been driving for the first time in Japan, Malaysia and China. "It was a big challenge that I had to face in terms of the terrain, in those countries. In Malaysia it was very tight as it was in a farm field estate. We were in very tight corners and no straights at all.

It was a technical rally in Malaysia. In Japan, we came across mountains. The FIA had chosen different terrains and different conditions to run the rallies so that if one person is good in a technical section and not good on the fast sections it balances off on everybody.

So it's a combination of so many different terrains. Talking about China it was basically going down hill on a gravel surface. That is a another challenge by itself. So different terrains, different countries and different competitors. So I think coming second was a bit beyond my expectations' Deheragoda said.

"When I started the competition I thought that I may finish fifth or sixth, but I kept my head straight and gave my best and finished second. Next year, it will be a bigger challenge. So I am all focused for next year" said Deheragoda.

At a media briefing specially summoned to celebrate Deheragoda's achievement, Shafraz Hamzadeen, the Founder/CEO of EZY Racing said: "When we first launched the ER 88, we new we were making a big leap by setting a new bench mark in local motor racing by competing in an FIA event. This alone was a historical achievement. Five months later, after completing our very first season internationally, we stand in front of you to announce another historical feat , where we have been able to successfully finish 2nd in the ASIA Cup Championship thereby being ranked number two in Asia" said Hamzadeen.

For the 15-time Sri Lanka champion driver Deheragods, it was not smooth sailing at the meet as he found international rallying different to what he has experienced in Sri Lanka.

He had to under go many challenges pertaining to his car and performance before finishing 2nd with 57 points behind Japan's Yuya Sumiyama winning his third Asia Cup Championship scoring 107 points.