Text and pix by P.D. De Silva 

Darin Weerasinghe driving a Subaru WRX STI X 2000cc car shattered his own course record with a time of 32.80 seconds at the 20th CEAT Southern Eliyakanda Hill Climb and claimed the Preethi Palliyaguru Challenge trophy for the third consecutive year. Sachira Rajakaruna riding a Yamaha aYZ 250 was the fastest on two wheels with a time of 35.64 seconds. 

Darin broke his own course record of 33.83 seconds set last year with a time of 33.51 seconds in his first run and bettered it in his second run setting a new course record of 32.80 seconds

Ayesh Bandara and Rajitha Uluwita won two motor car events each  while Sachira Rajakaruna won the over 175cc upto 250cc (4T) and the super motard open over 250cc upto 750cc (4T) event for motorcycles. 

S.K. Amanda was the only female competitor at this year’s Eliyakanda Hill Climb and was placed second in the southern province novices event behind her brother S.K. Kisal.

The results of the 15 motorcar events and 12 motorcycle events held are as follows

Motor car events

01 SL-N Production Cars Ford Laser/ Mazda 323 up to 1300cc

    Rajitha Uluwita 39.62 seconds

    Kushan Peiris 40.30 seconds

    Susantha Gunawardeana 40.44 seconds

02 SL-E One make Mini Saloon 

1275 cc

    Chanaka Rathnayaka 42.54 

seconds

    Nisath de Alwis 42.94 seconds

    Saman Ilandaripura 44.34 seconds

03 SL-E One make Nissan March 1000cc

    Irshad Faham 42.39 seconds

    Yasith Gamage 42.53 seconds

    Rizmin Razik 42.78 seconds

04 SL-N Production Cars Onemeake Ford Laser / Mazda 323 upto 1500cc

    Rajitha Uluwita 39.92 seconds

    Randika Niroshan 40.69 seconds

    Shenal Gunawardana 41.00 

seconds

05 Formula Cars Mclarens 1300cc EFI

    Ayesh Bandara 36.08 seconds

    Chandima Gunarethna 37.10 

    seconds

    Emadad Hussain  38.31 seconds

06 SL-A Modified Cars upto 1050cc

    Michael Wijesuriya 40.64 seconds

    Linusha Perera 45.95 seconds

    Kushan Perera 47.56 seconds

07 SL-A Modified Cars one make Mini 7

    Ravin Vannitamby 42.15 seconds

    K. Parameeswaran 42.30 seconds

    Namal Silva 42.31 seconds

08 SL-S Special upto 1500cc

    Zaakir Wahab 36.70 seconds

    Kushan Peiris 36.96 seconds

    Dilan Hewawasam 41.15 seconds

09 SL-S specials upto 1350cc

    Canceled

10 SL-H SLAS Homologated cars upto 1618cc One make Honda

    Ayesh Bandara 36.11 seconds

    Randika Niroshan 36.88 seconds

    Faham Nauman 38.23 seconds

11 Class D - Diesel Cars upto 1500cc Non Turbo

    Prasanna de Alwis 44.46 seconds

    Ranga Biyanwila 45.29 seconds

    Udara Palliyaguru 46.89 seconds

12 SL-T&J Open (non turbo)

    Ishraq Wahab 39.08 seconds

    Cassim Wahab 49.75 seconds

13 Subaru Legacy Cars upto 2000cc

    Tyronne Hendawitharana 37.27 seconds

    Malika Kuruvitaarachchi 37.67

    Chavi Dharmawardena 39.21

14 SL-GT upto 3500cc

    Darin Weerasinghe 32.80 seconds

    Ushan Perera 33.64 seconds

    Aravinda Premadasa 34.54 seconds

15 Class M - Southern Province Novices upto 1500cc Non Turbo

    S.K. Kisal 43.90 seconds

    S.K. Amanda 48.70 seconds

    Izvan Ahamath 49.24 seconds

Motorcycle events

01 Group O Motorcycles over 1300cc upto 125cc

    Dilan Rathnayaka 43.70 seconds

    K.P. Dharshana 44.49 seconds

    M.C.S. Perera 48.62 seconds

02 Group O Motorcycles over 125cc upto 160cc

    Sandeep Aluthwala 42.32 seconds

    Pathirage Nikila 42.48 seconds

    Pathirage Mangala 46.35 seconds

03 Group M Standard motorcycles over 100cc upto 125cc 2T

    Isuru Madushan 43.78 seconds

    R.K.S. Helawikum 45.09 seconds

    Asantha Karunarathna 45.53 

seconds

04 Group M over 175cc upto 250cc 4T 4CYL

    Janaka Dias 39.02 seconds

    E Galpihilla 39.82 seconds

    Pathirage Mangala 40.07 seconds

05 Group O Standard Motorcycles over 100cc up to 125cc -4T

    Andrew Sriyan Perera 41.47 

seconds

    Vijitha Perera 42.15 seconds

    Asanga Samarawickrema 42.36 seconds

06 Group Super SM over 100cc up to 125cc (2T) & over 175cc upto 250cc (4T)

    Sachira Rajakaruna 35.64 seconds

    Kavindu Dushan Mudalige 36.14 

seconds

    Reza Odayar 36 17 seconds

07 Group M over 400cc upto 

600cc 4T

    Maduranga Caldera 36.64 seconds

    Sandeep Aluthwala 38.09 seconds

    H.G. Nipun Dilanka 40.51 seconds

08 Group M Street Trail over 175cc upto 250cc 4T

    Prasanna Wijewardena 39.75 

seconds

    Maheen de Silva 40.64 seconds

    Aminda Asiri 43.94 seconds 

09 Group Super SM Super Motad open over 125cc upto 500cc (2T) & over 250cc upto 750cc (4T)

    Sachira Rajakaruna 35.90 seconds

    Kavindu Dushan Mudalige 36.12 

seconds

    Darshana Kasun Mudalige 41.51 

seconds

10 Group MX Modified street trail over 175cc upto 250cc (2T)

    D.A. Aminda Asiri 43.33 seconds

    H.G. Dushantha 44.71 seconds

    H.G.A. Udayanga 45.88 seconds

11 Group M over 900cc upto 

1000cc 4T

    Reza Odayar 36.45 second

    Maduranga Caldera 36.51 seconds

    Pramuka Sesath 36.52 seconds

12 Group R racing over 100cc upto 125cc 2T

    S. Vasudevan 42.08 seconds

    M. Supun 45.96 seconds

    R. Vinodh 50.06 seconds