SALF-SLADAR Rotherham Circuit Meet 2011 on 7 August

Text and pix by Harsha Udayakantha Peiris

Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Association for Racing Drivers and Riders (SLADAR) has organised the Rotherham Circuit Meet for the fifth consecutive year, to be held on 7 August 2011 at the Sri Lanka Air Force Station in Katukurunda.

In order to acknowledge the public of the event and the presentation of sponsorships for the event, an exclusive press briefing on Rotherham Circuit Meet - 2011 was held on 21 July 2011 at the SLAF Head Quarters in Colombo.

Speaking at the occasion the Commander of the Air Force - Air Marshal H.D. Abeywickrama stated that the SLAF has taken all measures to make this year’s event of motor racing at Katukurunda a success.

The SLAF which has taken to promote sports events in many areas had earlier organised motor racing events at its base in Katunayake since the early ’70s but later switched to Katukurunda as Katunayake became a busy airport. At the initiation, racing at Katukurunda continued till 2001 and was forced to stop for nearly six years due to the security situation prevailing at that time.

During this period the Air Force circuit at Katukurunda was extended for the use of the SLADAR to conduct races.

 In the year 2007, the races were re-launched as the ‘Rotherham Circuit Meet’ in association with the SLADAR and since then the event has been successfully conducted for the last four years. The re-naming of the event as the ‘Rotherham Circuit Meet’ was introduced in memory of the first Commanding Officer of the Royal Naval Air Station at Katukurunda, Capt.Hank Rotherham, who served in Katukurunda during the Second World War.

Yoga Perera - the President of SLADAR addressing the media said that at the ‘Rotherham Circuit Meet - 2011’ the world famous Katukurunda track will be occupied by more than 180 competitors including several foreign riders as well.

“The circuit also consists of two very fast straights where cars take up to their maximum speeds. We are very happy with all track preparations and other facilitations by the SLAF for the success of the event,” he said.

This year’s event of the ‘Rotherham Circuit Meet’ will include a total number of 22 events including 12 car events and 10 bike events.

The Bank of Ceylon acts as the principal sponsor of the event with People’s Bank, Brown and Company, Douglas and Sons and CEAT Tyres as the co-sponsors along with a host of other sponsors.  P.J.Jayasinghe - Assistant General Manager Corporate Credit of the Bank of Ceylon; Panduka Weerasinghe - General Manager of Brown and Company; Ravi Dadlani - Vice President of Sales and Marketing of CEAT; Chandani Weerapitiya - Deputy General Manager, Corporate International Marketing of the People’s Bank presented the respective sponsorships to the Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal H.D. Abeywickrama at the event.

The sponsorship tickets were presented by Sudesh - the District Manager of Kuwait Airways.  

All funds generated through the sponsorships, collections at the gates at the event and all other income from the event will be channeled to the ‘Seva Vanitha Unit of the SLAF, to be utilised as charity for the needy segments of the society and the welfare of SLAF families.