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| Sunday, 26 September 2004 |
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Keen fare expected at FEARA Regatta by LESLIE FERNANDO Interesting and competitive rowing will be the order of the day when oarsmen and oarswomen from defending champions Colombo Rowing Club, Madras Boat Club, India, Karachchi Boat Club Pakistan, Rowing and Canoeing Federation from Myanmar, Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, China view for major honours at the 30th Far East Amateur Rowing Association (FEARA) Regatta hosted by the Colombo Rowing Club from September 30 to October 2 on the Beira Waters. Chrisantha Perera, President of the Colombo Rowing Club at a press conference held at the club pavilion on Wednesday night, said that clubs drawn from five countries will row at the FEARA Regatta, Perera added that in recent times, the Colombo Rowing Club was able to join the Far-Eastern Amateur Rowing Association (FEARA) which was formed in 1954 and celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, coinciding with Colombo Rowing Club's 140th anniversary. He said that they are indeed privileged to host the FEARA Regatta in Colombo this year with significant milestones being reached for both FEARA and the Colombo Rowing Club. In 1991, the regatta was held for the first time in India at Madras Boat Club which also used the regatta to mark the club's 125th year and celebrated by winning the overall trophy. The association remains the premier inter-club regatta in the region providing keen and well-matched competition between club oarsmen and oarswomen. Perera thanked the co-sponsors Hong Kong Shanghai Bank, Sampath Bank, Commercial Bank, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation and Associated Motorways for coming forward to assist in this prestigious event. Deva Henry, President of Sri Lanka Amateur Rowing Association said that the Colombo Rowing Club from its early beginnings has developed into one of the most prestigious and active private members clubs in Sri Lanka. A significant feature has been that the club's sole sporting focus remains rowing whilst social interaction and fellowship is an important aspect of the Colombo Rowing Club. The club can therefore proudly claim to be the cradle of rowing in Sri Lanka and all the current affiliated clubs of the Amateur Rowing Association of Sri Lanka have benefitted from the facilities and infrastructure available at the Colombo Rowing Club. The events to be held are Veterans Fours, Ladies Sculls, FEARA Pairs, Interport Sculls, Ladies pairs, FEARA Veteran Sculls, Interport Pairs, FEARA Sculls, Interport Fours, ladies Fours, FEARA Fours. Points will be for only FEARA Fours (winner 15 points runner-up 7 points), FEARA Pairs (9 and 4 points each), FEARA Sculls (8 and 3 points each), FEARA Veterans Sculls (4 and 2 points), Interport events will be for those who finish runners-up in the men's main events. In addition this year, the Double Sculls event is also included but the results will not go towards the championship trophies. All events will be rowed over 1000 metres. The heats in all events will be worked off on Thursday and Friday and the finals on Saturday, commencing from 1.30 p.m. The last FEARA Regatta was held in Colombo in 1991 and the Colombo Rowing Club won the FEARA Fours and the FEARA Pairs and lifted the V. C. Bath Challenge Trophy. The following trophies will be awarded at this regatta l VC Bath Interport Trophy - Overall FEARA Winner l The Interport Challenge Cup - Men's Coxed Fours l The Blair Challenge Shield - Men's Pairs l The Paketvaart Wisselbeker Trophy - Men's Single Sculls l The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Cup - Men's Veterans Sculls l FEARA Millennium Cup - Ladies Fours l The Saigon Rose Bowl - Ladies Pairs l The Colombo Rowing Club Cup - Ladies Single Sculls l The Manila Boat Club/Royal Singapore Yacht Club Trophy-Overall Interport Winners. Of all the trophies presented at this regatta the FEARA Fours - 'Interport Fours Challenge' Cup is the oldest of all trophies being competed for at the regatta and was the first raced for in 1927. It was presented by the Royal Singapore Yacht Club for annual competition between themselves and the short lived Malacca Boat Club. After the latter club ceased to exist, the cup was presented for Interport competitions between Royal Singapore Yacht Club, Miri Boat Club and B.T. Hollandia of Batavia. Another interesting trophy is the 'Paketvaart Wisselbeker' Cup presented for the men's sculls. This cup is pre-war trophy presented by Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschaapij (KPM) for Interport competition between "second" fours. It was only rowed for two or three times before the War and in 1951 K.P.M. were asked to agree to the club being raced for in sculls. Their approval was readily forthcoming and the cup was won by T. Keller of Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, and who subsequently served as the President of the International Rowing Federation. |
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