the story behind the victory of University of Moratuwa Rowing team in the Inter University Regatta (Sri Lanka) 2008 after loosing four consecutive years....
In the last
six years of my life in the Mora rowing team (26-09-2002 to 08-11-2008) went
through various moments and time periods, with joy, sorrow everything…but
Saturday the 8th of November, has entered to the history as the happiest
day of my life. I think it will be the happiest day of the life of most of the
guys of the Mora rowing family. It's not only we beat Colombo crew after four
years, it was the day that we have seen the results of our hard work and
dedication.
I still can
remember the days that we have been thinking about the races that we have lost
in fractions of seconds. Every year we went to Beire Lake with full of hopes
and coming back with great pain in our hearts…..
We thought
that we had the best ever "a" four last year (2007). Because we went
for timings in 3.30s. But at the race we lost to the Colombo "a" four
by ¼ th of a second. Regatta was ended with giving us another lost (for the
fourth consecutive time).
When we (the
office bearers) are starting the training for 2008 got a very new bunch of
people. Most of the people has never been seen a regatta. We knew that we want
some new strategies to turn it around this time.
After the
idea from Kitta of finding an obstacle course inside the campus, Kitts and I went
throughout the campus to find the ideal locations and paths for it. I still can
remember the people of our batch said that the first gay couple is going to
Kaju Kele, after seen Kitta and me going there…
When the
three senior members coming to the university after their training period they
had a bunch of new guys who are way up in fitness levels than them. That make
them work so hard to catch-up the level of fitness of the juniors. That
motivates all the people in the crew. We have started achieving our target step
by step.
Rana and
Gala
surprised
every one of other institutes by winning the second place in the rowing novices.Shode and Mola won the RCYC pair title for the first time in the
university history.( I think it was always own by a "pair" from royal
collage or STC, from the first year that has been awarded.) in HMS fours the
junior guys has performed very well in their fours, though they were in mixed
crews. In the Joes regatta, we won gold medal and a bronze medal by Mola and Ara. Ranfer sprints and the Centenary
oars are the regattas that we have not been performed up to the standards. We
have made the ' Bolgoda regatta" totally ours by not only organizing it,
but becoming the best performing team in the regatta. Ara and Ashika won the gold medal of the open double scull event and
some more medals and very good performances by everyone who has participated
for the event by the Mora crew. Then the nationals.... though most of the crew
members had their exams in those days, they have been courage enough to
participate for the events. Exams in the morning and regatta in the evening. We
have in the nationals as never before. Ara and Ashika gave the first national gold medal of the university history (pls
correct me if I am wrong). We came back to the university with some more silver
and bronze medals...almost everyone of the crew have won a medal on that
day....
still we
have the biggest target, even though we have performed very well in all the
other regattas, the pride of all remains on the inter uni regatta. The inter
uni regatta. Shuffling the fours, pair and scull races, course downs,
everything was there. So many surprises happened. The biggest thing was the
"a" pair, the shortest guy in our team get together with the tallest
guy in the team and beat all the other pairs. The major shock that we have
faced is losing Mola from the team. It has effected all the members because we
loosing the best oarsmen in our team. So many shuffling were done to fill his
place. in the end we went through on it. Found the correct replacement for
Mola. We are confident enough now to beat Colombo.
On the day
before the regatta, there was an article in the daily mirror saying
"Colombo
university to make it five in a row"..... Hu!!.... That was the funniest thing we ever
heard. We have laughed (not only from our mouths)....everyone is confident
enough to beat them.
We didn't
have a pressure on the regatta day. As usually we met at the bus (Wala) and had
the lunch. When we come to CRC in white short, white shirt and in the blazer,
we were expecting a smartly dressed Colombo crew to welcome us.(because they
are the organizers this time) but only their ladies captain and mens' captain
came in a short and a t-shirt.
When Ara won
the "a" scull as the first event we were thrilled. We took the
start....When Ara's mother came and give him a hug after the race I knew
everything is on our way. I can still remember Yenu's mother hugged him after
he won the first scull race in the victorious 2003 regatta. (History is
repeating). Ashika cleared all the doubt in our mind about him by winning the
"b" scull. What a race from our captain and vice captain in the
"b" pair. After the race I have got the confirmation twice from the
lawn umpire about who won the race because it was an amazing come back at the
"take a home' from our guys. After the 'a' pair and the "b' four won
by the Colombo crew, it has become the race of life for the "a" four.
They did their job.... after four years curse we won it back... the happiest moment
in my life.
There are so
many people who have shares in our glory.
The past oarsmen and oarswomen who have helped us through out the
year from the donations, comments and wishes. it was a great strength to us.
thank you Amila ayya,
Suranga ayya, Heminda ayya, Nuwan ayya, Samitha, Dilan, Sabry, Vajira,
Kure(from the NDT batch),prabath and all the others(i forgot to mention the names) who
came to watch the regatta and cheered for Mora crew. Thanks DC ayya for your great support that you
have given (and giving) to the crew though you are so far away from us…The
encouraging words… coordinating the past oarsmen.. etc.. Bhathiya ayya,Harsha
ayya,Dushan,Nishal and everyone else who were in touch of us for the whole year.
We have to
thank very specially to
Kitta,
Bappa, Lahiru, Praveen and Sudeera (the last years crew members) for the great support
that you have given for us. Kitta, the work
you have done to make the team a better one is great, the obstacle races, team
meetings, taking care for the crew members when they were in trouble and even
helping with their personal problems had very much effected on the power of our
team. The phone calls and emails that you have send in the last few months was
a moral boosters fro us. Bappa, Lahiru, Praveen and Sudeera, thank you for the experiences
that you guys have shared with us. Coming in the morning to CRC, on Sundays and
even on the way office... it was amazing.
i would like
to thank for the help that we got from our physical education department too..
Especially to
Mr.
Rathnamudali and Mr. Laksman Wijesooriya. Arranging buses for us to go for the regattas,
taking permission to practice in the university when it has been closed, always
looking after the needs of the crew and for all the other support that you have
given.
Harini
and the
ladies team for the spirit of the Mora rowing family.... when Colombo refused
to row in the inter uni if there is no ladies team from us in few months back,
we didn't had any option, but relying on you. Finding some girls to form a team
and preparing them to row in a regatta in about three weeks time, and rowing
for the support of the victory…. Thanks Varuni for coming to row even at the
last minute, after having two or three sleepless nights because of academic
submissions. We will not get those qualities from anyone else but from our own
sisters. Thank you, Piyumi, Dimuthu,Harendra, Kumari and Varuni for the support
that you have given to us with Harini.
The
owners of our victory… Mark and Mahil…
I don't have
words to explain the support, motivation, courage, skills, training and
everything that you have given. The force behind to change the attitudes of
others on university rowing is you two. The Mora crew has became a very much
improved team in skills, strength, discipline and even in the outfits, because
of you. The bravest and crucial decisions making at the correct time has shown
us your maturity on coaching. As an example, when a bow from the "c"
four has replaced to a stroke of the "a" four before two weeks to go
to the regatta, every one of us had doubts in our mind. But you have
succeeded... both of you were not only coaches for us, you guys stood up as the
elder brothers of our crew. When it become to the crucial "a' four race,
when everyone is nervous, … sitting on the lawn without watching the race till
the last few meters with nervous face(the videos tell them all)…that showed how
much our team mean to you… I know your eyes also filled with the tears of joy
(even they were covered with Shades). THANK YOU SO MUCH BROTHERS, WHO HAVE NOT ONLY TAUGHT
US ROWING, MOST OF THE LESSONS TO OUR LIFE TOO…………
All the
members of the crew…the thirst to the victory that you had with you was
amazing. Going through the toughest practice sessions, making your bodies hurt
so much, exceeding the limits that you think your body can achieve, leaving
back the times that you can spend your family members or girl friend, with
various personal matters but not interfering them for rowing, it was great……
Shode
… you are
the luckiest person on earth that day…. As the captain… at the "a"
four…which is giving the decision of the regatta…leading to the victory by
winning it…..that is a dream which very few people can make to a reality( I
have seen it only in films).
Shode,
Oscar, Mola and Kahawala
…….We did
it…. We have made the best ever rowing team that university of Moratuwa had. (I
think no team had performed this much in all the regattas throughout the year)
with the help of all….
Ara and the
crew
… now it's
time for you…. Let's win regatta by regatta next time... Now we know that we
can do it… we will not another loosing team in the rowing community anymore...
the secret is…
"ROW
HARD, NO EXCUSES"
Dananjaya
Bandara
Secretary
2008 (On behalf of the office bearers of 2008 crew)
well said dana aiya...
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