Royal College sailed to victory at the ninth Royal-Thomian Sailing regatta held on September 19 and 20, reclaiming the coveted Ranil Dias Trophy for the third time, where the Royal Sailing team dominated, securing all except one trophy on offer at the picturesque Bolgoda Lake.
The first day of the much-anticipated event in Sri Lanka’s maritime calendar kicked off with individual races between the Royalist and Thomian sailing teams. With high winds over 9 knots the first day, the light-weight Laser Royalists were at a disadvantage, and yet battled fiercely to win the overall senior event. The less experience Thomian Optimists too challenged the seasoned Royalists in the Optimist event, with Royal College emerging overall winners with 6-0 points in favour of Royal College on the first day.
In the exciting team racing event of day two, both schools strategically pitted their racers against each other in the A and B teams. While Royal College won the race of the day – the Laser A team races as well as the both the Optimist A and B team races, the S. Thomas’ College Laser B team fought valiantly to win the Laser B team racing event.
Royal College cinched both the Jeremy Bolling Trophy for the winners of the Optimist ‘A’ team, and the Perera Challenge Trophy for the winners of the Optimist ‘B’ team .
The Dr. Ray Wijewardene Trophy for the winners of the Laser ‘A’ team went to Royal College while the Sailing Advisory Committee Challenge Trophy for the winners of the Laser ‘B’ team went to S. Thomas’ College.
In individual recognitions, Royal College captain Anuda Silva was awarded the Best Laser Sailor – the first time in Royal history that a skipper has won the award, while Royal’s Minuga Hettigamage was awarded Best Optimist Sailor.
At the end of the event, which was sponsored by Future Fibres and Ellawala Horticulture (pvt) Ltd, the total points tallied at 18-4 in favour of Royal College.
The Royal-Thomian sailing regatta is more than just a sports competition. It is a testimony of how rival schools can display great sportsmanship.
The chief guest at the closing ceremony, Rear Admiral Professor Shemal Fernando, Director General of sports who said he hopes “the same spirit of the Royal-Thomian Sailing Regatta can be spread across to all school sporting events.” The principals of the two schools, senior games masters and other dignitaries of the sailing community were also present at the prize ceremony.
Despite some heated moments and a record number of protests that went on until late in the night, the spirit of sailing and the friendly rivalry between the two schools that are the pioneers of school sailing was displayed both on and off water, with the sailors from both teams ending the regatta with firm handshakes, pats on the back and promises of meeting up for a game of futsal next weekend.
Results of Individual racing events:
OPTIMIST CLASS
1st place – Minuga Hettigamage – Royal College
2nd place – Kevaan De Costa – Royal College
3rd place – Binal Perera – Royal College
LASER CLASS
1st place – Anuda Silva – Royal College
2nd place – Omar Hazari – Royal College
3rd place – Nithik Senaratne – S. Thomas’ College