Sri Lanka’s biggest rowing competition, the 39th Junior, Intermediate, and Senior Rowing Nationals 2024, organized by the Amateur Rowing Association of Sri Lanka (ARASL), is set to begin today, April 3, and will continue until April 6 at the Diyawanna Rowing Centre in Battaramulla.
This four-day national event will feature the Junior category, where school rowers will compete in three age groups: Under-14, Under-16, and Under-19, for both boys and girls. The Intermediate level will see university rowers battling it out, while the Open Category will include teams from the Tri Forces, Colombo Rowing Club, and Diyawanna Rowing Academy, featuring national-level athletes.
The ARASL has received an impressive 190 entries for the Junior Category, representing 10 leading rowing schools in Colombo. These include Royal College, S Thomas’ College, Ananda College, Asian International School, Gateway College, Wesley College, Bishop’s College, Ladies’ College, Visakha Vidyalaya, and Musaeus College.
In the Intermediate Category, three universities will participate: the University of Colombo, the University of Moratuwa, and the Sri John Kotelawala Defence University. The Open Category will feature teams from the Tri Forces – Sri Lanka Army, Navy, and Air Force, alongside the Colombo Rowing Club and Diyawanna Rowing Academy, boasting top national-level athletes.
A total of 450 athletes, representing 21 institutions, will compete in 60 races per day on the scenic 2km course at Diyawanna waters. Nippon Paint Sri Lanka, Fondre Fat Spread, and Prima Ceylon (Pvt) Ltd are the main sponsors of the event. The chief guest for the final day will be Air Vice Marshal Palinda Koswatte.
Sajeewa Jayakody
