Colombo Rowing Club does Sri Lanka proud

Friday, 8 February 2013 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Colombo Rowing Club (CRC) emerged victorious at the 71st ARAE-FEARA International Regatta, hosted by the Manila Boat Club on the Paoay Lake, Philippines recently. The team from Sri Lanka won three gold medals at the Amateur Rowing Association of the East (ARAE) regatta beating the Philippines.

The Team from Sri Lanka

The five member CRC crew stole the show by winning three of the five events. Sajeev de Silva and Shehan Muthugala placed first in the Men’s Double Scull while Sajeev de Silva won gold in the Men’s Scull.

Ishika de Silva and Subashini Kularatne won the Women’s Double Scull while Ishika de Silva was placed a respectable second in the Women’s Scull. Maheel Gamage and Shehan Muthugala were semi-finalists in the Men’s Pair.

However, the overall trophies were awarded based on the points and the Men’s Overall Hooghly Cup was won by College of Military Engineering Rowing Club, Pune while the Women’s Overall Adyar Cup was claimed by Madras Boat Club.

Introduced by the British to form bonds between rowing clubs in their eastern colonies, the ARAE’s present focus is promoting rowing among the youth. The Amateur Rowing Association of the East’s annual regatta has been the premier competition for Asian amateur rowers since its inception in 1933. The Far East Amateur Rowing Association’s Master’s events, for rowers above 35 years, and the Super FEARA, for rowers above 50 years of age, are held concurrently. Established in 1864, the Colombo Rowing Club has fostered this sport to become one of the most prestigious activities and the club itself has become a highly sought after private member club in Sri Lanka. Its club house and boat house are located on the edge of the northern Beira Lake, at Sir Chittapalam A. Gardiner Mawatha, in Colombo.

Sri Lanka men in action & Sri Lanka women in action

There are 12 institutions currently using the facilities at the Colombo Rowing Club and the club extends all levels of support for the development of rowing. The club hosts many as seven regattas throughout the year catering to novices, intermediates and senior oarsmen/women.

At present, over 300 students from 20 institutions use the Club facilities on the Beira Lake to engage in this sport. The Association envisages increasing the reach of the sport in the country by expanding to other waterways in Sri Lanka in the future.