Delft Island children achieving great success in canoeing

by Admiral Ravindra C Wijegunaratne
(Former Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy
and Former Sri Lanka High Commissioner to Pakistan)

The Navy, under the aegis of its Commander Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera and his lady, and President of Sri Lanka Navy Seva Vanitha Unit, Mala Lamahewa, conducted the National Canoeing and Kayaking Competition in the Jaffna lagoon last September. It was a difficult task as boats/equipment and teams required to be transported to Jaffna.

The National Regatta, held in the Jaffna lagoon off the picturesque Jaffna Dutch Fort, under the able leadership of the President of the National Association in Canoeing and Kayaking in Sri Lanka (NACKSL) Rear Admiral Chinthaka Kumaratunge, and with the assistance of Secretary of NACKSL Captain Wijesiri – injured Navy Special Forces (SBS) officers and their staff.

Practising at Diyawanna Oya

Canoeing champs

Delft Dragon Boat youngest member receiving her gift from Mala Lamahewa

What is interesting was that the Boys and Girls teams from Delft Maha Vidyalum beat all Colombo Schools in the Dragon Boat category, after just one week of training !

It was amazing to see these youngsters paddling together as a team and winning both the categories convincingly.

The President of the Navy Seva Vanitha Unit, who was present with the Chief Secretary of the Northern Province, L Ilangovan, kept to her promise and arranged these talented Northern Children to visit Colombo last week and undergo special training sessions at the Diyawanna Oya Navy Rowing Club, under the guidance of proper coaches.

Out of 42 children who visited Colombo, under Navy arrangements, 32 of them were visiting Colombo for the first time. They were delighted. Students of other leading schools joined their counterparts from the North at Navy Rowing Club and now they have friends in the Delft Island when they visit Jaffna next time and enjoy the breakfast at Deft Island with pittu, Ssodai curry and sambol!

The children were hosted to Dinner at the Navy’s Wave-N-Lake Restaurant at Walisara and the First Lady of the Navy had a gift each for those students from Jaffna .

They are badly in need of two Dragon Boats and I wonder if there is anyone who could sponsor them?

Canoeing is in their blood. They paddle Theppam with their fathers every morning, before going to school!