SLT-MOBITEL power 25th edition of Southern Eliyakanda Hill Climb

Text and pix by P.D. De Silva

Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) and Mobitel will partner the Southern Motor Sports Club (SMSC) to power the 25th edition of the Southern Eliyakanda Hill Climb on 27 and 28 February.

At a media briefing held at the SLT auditorium yesterday evening, Sri Lanka Telecom-Mobitel Deputy Chief Marketing Officer Rohana Ellawala said that being the ultra-high speed fibre broadband service provider, the blue-chip company has been associated with most of the speedy sporting events in the island.

Southern Motor Sports Club (SMSC) President Dr. Sanjaya Sedara Senarath said that the Southern Eliyakanda Hill Climb was looked forward to as it was the first motorsports event being held after the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to all sporting events. He added that last year’s edition was the one and only hill climb held in the island in 2020.

Adhering to health guidelines stipulated by the Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Health, the motorcycle events will be held on 27 and 28. For the first time in its history, the event would be worked off sans spectators.

Dilan Senevirathne, who holds the course record of 32.422 seconds for the Eliyakanda track, said that the 540 m track was one of the best tracks he had negotiated and added that the four corners were a challenge to competitors.

Sangeeth Sooriyage, who established a new course record of 33.752 seconds on debut at the 2020 edition, said that he would be looking forward to better it this year but added that the lack of competition and possibly even a trial run may be a setback. 

The sponsorship cheques from main sponsor SLT-Mobitel and Wurth Lanka, Mobile Lubricants and Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka (MBSL) who continue to be associated with the event were handed over to SMSC President yesterday.

Entries for the event will close on Friday and no late entries would be accepted. Entries can be submitted online through www.smsc.lk.

For clarifications about the event contact,

Sarindu Gamage - +94 71 6095 549  

Sandharu Dheerasekara - +94 71 0660 675

Co-Sponsors Wurth Lanka

Co-Sponsors Mobil Lubricants 

SLT Deputy CMO Rohana Ellawala, SLT CMO Prabath Dasanayake, SMSC President Dr. Sanjaya Sedara Senarath, SMSC Immediate Past President Ashshar Hameem, and Sarindu Gamage (SMSC)