Sailing Nationals 2019 successfully held at Crow Island sea front

Navy Commander Piyal de Silva (centre) with the participants

Sailors taking part in the Sailing Nationals 2019 at Crow Island, Mattakuliya

The Yachting Association of Sri Lanka (YASL), the national sports body for the sport of sailing, held the Sailing Nationals 2019 recently at the Crow Island sea front. 

Seven km north of Colombo’s CBD, bordering the estuary of the Kelani River, this seaside beach is pristine with picturesque views of the Port and developing Port City. 

Vice Admiral Piyal de Silva, Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, was the Chief Guest at this significant annual event. 

The Sri Lanka Navy not only participated with great success, winning multiple events, but also facilitated in all organisational aspects.

This year saw and welcomed a record number of 86 sailors sailing at this coveted and most prestigious event in the sailing calendar, organised and sanctioned by YASL. 

The blue seas off Colombo, offered perfect conditions with clear skies accompanied by a shore breeze of 5-6 knots, gusting occasionally up to 14 knots. Six races were sailed, participants allowed to discard their worst performance, the remaining results being averaged for the final tally. 

Boats belonging to all sailing classes were represented at this event.

The GP 14 Class, Laser Standard Class and Windsurfing Class were won by the Sri Lanka Navy, the Enterprise class was won by the Royal Colombo Yacht Club (RCYC), the Laser 4.7 Class (Under 17 event) was won by Royal College, Colombo and both Optimist Class (Under 15 event) and the Laser Radial Class were won by S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia. 

In collaboration with the Navy, YASL has been able to create a national training centre at this unique location to further develop our sailing talents.

This year 2020, Sri Lanka has been chosen to host the internationally acclaimed International Optimist and Dinghy Association Sailing Championship in Trincomalee, from 6 to 13 June.

Preliminary selection trials for the IODA 2020 were held by the National Selection Committee on 24 of January at the YASL National Training Centre, Crow Island.

Final results

GP14 event

Winners – Upul Ghanawardene and A.S.K. de Soyza – Sri Lanka Navy

1st Runners Up – Devin Goonewardene and Mayuka Siriwardene – Ceylon Motor Yacht Club

2nd Runners Up – W.M.C. Marambe and G.P.P. Karunaratne

Enterprise event

Winners – Lalin Jirasinha and Akshan Jirasinha – Royal Colombo Yacht Club

1st Runners Up – J.M.P.L. Jayasuriya and K.C. de Soyza – Sri Lanka Navy 

2nd Runners Up – A.M.J.P. Attanayake and L.A.C.N. Gunathilaka – Sri Lanka Navy

Optimist event (under 15)

Winner – Dhanika Nanayakkara – S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia

1st Runner Up – Udan Marapperuma – Royal College, Colombo

2nd Runner Up – Tharen Nanayakkara – S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia

Laser 4.7 event (under 17)

Winner – Anuka Samaraweera – Royal College, Colombo

1st Runner Up – Jehan de Silva – S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia

2nd Runner Up – Kanila Gunasekera – Royal College, Colombo

Laser radial event 

Winners – Kethaka Weerasuriya – S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia

1st Runner Up – P.D.D.S. Rajapaksa – Sri Lanka Navy

2nd Runner Up – Jordan Bolling – S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia

Laser standard event 

Winner – K.G.C.U.S. Bandara – Sri Lanka Navy

1st Runner Up – U.D. Rajapaksa – Sri Lanka Navy

2nd Runners Up – Nijaya Dimal – Sri Lanka Navy

Windsurfing event 

Winner – Priyantha Gunawardene – Sri Lanka Navy

1st Runner Up – Chameera Gunawardene – Bentota Windsurf Club

2nd Runner Up – Chaminda Kumara Silva – Bentota Windsurf Club