- Prithiviraj Perera hands over the baton to SLN’s Chinthaka Kumarasinghe
After 19 years since canoeing was first introduced as a competitive sport in Sri Lanka, one of its prime initiators and a founding member, Rohan Prithiviraj Perera, a doyen of the sport of competitive canoeing and kayaking in Sri Lanka, relinquished his duties and handed over the reins to Rear Admiral Chinthaka Kumarasinghe of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN).
This took place at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the National Association for Canoeing and Kayaking (NACKSL) held on 30 May, predicting a bright future for this water sport which is practised in over 171 countries.
“This is a great sport for an island nation like Sri Lanka that has so many waterways, but it has been a challenging task to promote the sport as volunteers beginning at ‘ground zero,’ amidst competition from many other long established sports that have already been in existence for well over a century,” said Perera.
“At the beginning stages, there is much work and there are not many takers, because promotions are often out of pocket when working as volunteers. Also, one needs to build up the collection of boats, paddles, life jackets, equipment, and coaches and attract interested participants, good sponsors, and support from all stakeholders which are most needed, but are not easy to come by.”
Evolution of SL’s canoeing and kayaking
The NACKSL was first incorporated on 29 June 2004 under Sports Law No.25 of 1973. Its main founding members were Sri Lanka Eco Tourism (Pvt) Ltd. Managing Director Anurudda Bandara, Ranweli Holiday Resorts (Pvt) Ltd. Managing Director Chandra de Silva, and Former Secretary General of the Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO Prithiviraj Perera.
In addition to the founding members, those who have played important roles include present Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Admiral of the Fleet Vice Admiral U.M.V.P. Perera, who joined the canoeing association in 2012 and later became its Secretary General until 2019. The other active office bearers of the NACKSL who have rendered yeomen services to the sport include Bolgoda Lake Rowing Club’s Sithira Wickramasekera, Adventure Seals’ Supem de Silva, Sri Lanka Navy Capt. W.C. Wijesiri, and Rear Admiral (Retd) Ajith Samarasinghe.
New office bearers
The composition of the new office bearers just elected to office at the AGM held on 31 May comprise the following:
President – Rear Admiral Chinthaka Kumarasingha, Sri Lanka Navy
Secretary General – Captain (SBS) Chaminda Wijesiri, Sri Lanka Navy
Treasurer – Yu Mei Kumarasinghe, Adventure Seals
Executive Committee – Rohan Prithiviraj Perera (BLRC), Rear Admiral (Retd) Ajith Samarasinghe (DWSC), Sithira Wickramasekara (BLRC), Col. Asanga Perera (SLA), Capt. J.A.K.S. Jayakody (SLN), Air Commodore Palinda Koswatte (SLAF), Danuna Thillakarathne (Lanka Adventure), Arosha Jayasundera (BLRC), and Group Captain Asitha Hettiarachchi (SLAF).
The sport
Canoeing and kayaking comprise five flat water disciplines, namely, sprints (including standup paddling), marathon, polo, para canoe, and dragon boat, and four white water disciplines, namely slalom, freestyle, ocean racing, and wild water. Other than polo in flat water and slalom, free style, and wild water, all of the other disciplines are currently practised in Sri Lanka.
Capacity building: sourcing of boats and equipment
Through interactions with international partners, beginning with six canoes and six kayaks being donated by the Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association (IKCA) in 2005, the International Canoeing Federation (ICF) donated another six canoes and six kayaks through the Iranian Canoeing Federation in 2011.
The Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) which joined the membership of NACKSL in 2012 purchased a few boats/paddles for their own use in 2013 and both clubs improved their racing skills immensely.
The Adventure Seals also became a member in 2013. The Sri Lanka Army and the Crown Canoe Club joined the NACKSL membership in 2014. Following the participation of then Secretary General Commodore U.M.V.P. Perera at the 35th ICF Congress held in Baku, Azerbaijan in November 2016, the Japan Canoe Federation (JCF) announced a generous donation of boats which was supported by the Asian Canoe Congress (ACC).
It is to be noted that JCF President Shoken Narita San, who was also the President of the ACC at the time, was instrumental in ensuring this donation which finally arrived in Sri Lanka in September 2017, comprising two K2s, two C2s, two K4s, two para K1s, two para C1s, all with paddles, and one dragon boat.
This was followed by the attendance of NACKSL President R.P. Perera at the 37th ICF Congress held in Budapest, Hungary in November 2018 where donations from the ICF were canvassed for six brand new canoes/kayaks with paddles. An agreement between NACKSL, ICF, and NELO MAR LDA was signed for the manufacture of 60 boats in Sri Lanka with the moulds and raw materials, together with training in the manufacture of the boats to be imparted by two visiting technicians from the world-renowned boat manufacturer NELO MAR LDA of Portugal.
Also pledged were two 10-seater dragon boats to be donated by the Chinese Canoe Federation, whilst the SLN and the SLA purchased a 10-seater dragon boat each, which was added as one consignment from China.
With the donations and acquisition of boats and paddles over the years, a stock of over 50 boats has been built up for practices and competitions. A further stock of 60 boats will soon be available before the end of 2023 when the boat manufacturing project undertaken by the SLN in collaboration with NACKSL at its Welisara Boatyard is completed, with the expertise being provided by NELO MAR LDA of Portugal.
This exercise, including technology transfer from a world-renowned racing canoe kayak manufacturer, is expected to greatly enhance the quality of the canoes and kayaks available for competitions in Sri Lanka. These boats so manufactured are to be distributed free amongst the clubs in the various provinces in the country, thus taking the sport countrywide. These initiatives will be spearheaded by the SLN and the Sri Lanka Army as appropriate and as possible, based on their outreaches.
Sponsorships
Donations and assistance so far to date for the acquisitions of boats and for training programmes have been forthcoming from the International Canoe Federation, Asian Canoe Congress, the Japanese and the Chinese Canoe Federations, and the Iranian and Indian Canoe/Kayak Associations.
The Ministry of Sports funded a part of the boat manufacturing project with a donation equivalent to 7,000 Euros to match the contributions from the ICF and NELO MAR LDA. A major sponsorship agreement was also signed in 2019 with Esquel Sri Lanka Ltd., a Hong Kong-based Chinese apparel manufacturer, amounting to $ 100,000 for a four-year period ending in 2022, with a view to promoting dragon boating in Sri Lanka. It was intended to cover equipment and infrastructure improvements, promotional programmes, and annual inter school dragon boat championships.
Two dragon boats with 100 paddles were acquired during 2019 from the Peishing Boat Company in China, paid for by Esquel Sri Lanka Ltd. and two dragon boats were donated by the Peishing Boat Company at the urging of the China Canoe Congress and the SLA.
The SLN acquired one dragon boat each from the Peishing Boat Company. The Japanese Canoe Federation donated two dragon boats in 2017, thus making a total of eight dragon boats available in Sri Lanka for competitions.
However, only the first year of the generous sponsorship package by Esquel Sri Lanka Ltd. was realised, with the agreement being cancelled due to financial impacts on the sponsor following the Covid-19 global pandemic.
Training programmes
Many training programmes for canoeing and kayaking have been conducted since 2007 in Kitulgala and in Thulhiriya, sponsored by Olympic Solidarity (OS), and in Kaduwela and Kinross, Dehiwala, sponsored by the Asian Canoe Congress (ACC) in 2008.
A 12-day programme was completed for a total of 40 trainees in April 2010 by an ICF certified international coach in three different locations, namely, Kitulgala, Bolgoda and Belihuloya, funded by Olympic Solidarity (OS). A month’s training programme at the Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary was completed in May 2011, also funded by Olympic Solidarity, enabling Sri Lanka to have its first ICF certified coach.
The same coach, Mihin Amarasinghe, also obtained an International Technical Officers (ITO) qualification in a qualifying programme held in Myanmar in December 2013.
In August 2014, a month-long training programme by an international ICF coach was held at the Bolgoda Lake Rowing Club (BLRC) for 80 participants including from the defence services, six schools, and clubs. Some participants qualified as Level 1 coaches during this programme and 20 participants were trained to become National Technical Officers (NTOs).
On 25 April 2015, a day’s training programme was conducted for participants from five schools, whilst another similar programme was conducted in May 2015 at the Boardwalk at the Diyawanna Oya complex involving four schools. In July 2017, Sampath from the SLN underwent a C1 training programme in Japan and Visulmina Samanga attended an Under 23 training camp in Plovdiv, Bulgaria on canoe sprints from 16-25 July 2018.
ITOs and NTOs
Danuna Thillekeratne from Lanka Adventure Club participated in an International Technical Officers (ITO) course held in Shanghai from 13-18 October 2017 and qualified as an ITO. Commodore U.M.V.P. Perera (SLN) and Supem de Silva (Adventure Seals) also participated in a dragon boat ITO course in Dali, China from 4-8 July 2018 and are currently the only dragon boat ITOs in Sri Lanka.
As of date, Sri Lanka has four ITOs who could be inducted to act as ITOs at international competitions. In March 2019, 25 participants attended a National Technical Officers (NTOs) course and were awarded certificates at the completion of the course. They comprised 12 from SLA, five from SLN, six from SLAF, and two from clubs. To date, there are 45 qualified NTOs for canoeing and kayaking in Sri Lanka.
Dragon boating
A month’s training programme for dragon boating was carried out from 18 April to 18 May 2019 at the Diyawanna Oya by a Level 1 coach, generously sponsored by the Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association. A total of 80 participants took part, comprising trainees from the SLA, SLN, SLAF, and the Special Task Force (STF), as well as a team from Esquel Sri Lanka Ltd.
The foreign coach did not abandon the training programme despite the security concerns prevailing at the time caused by the unfortunate Easter Sunday bombings. During the first quarter of 2022, the present Admiral of the Fleet and Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy who was its Northern Commander at the time, had carried out training programmes for coaches, including for six schools in the Jaffna Peninsula. A competition was held amongst the six schools successfully along with a learn-to-swim and a lifesaving programme, a prelude to a dragon boat training and capacity-building during the said period.
Dragon boating is a sport that originated in China over 2,000 years ago as a part of celebrations at paddy harvesting festivals and has today spread to over 90 countries for leisure and competitions. It is one of the fastest growing water sports in the world.
Ocean/sea kayaking
Originally, surf ski races only took place as an event at lifesaving competitions. It has now become popular all over the world and sea-touring kayaking for recreation is being practised by nearly 2.6 million enthusiasts across the world.
From 2017 to 2019, Chathura Wishwanath, who was based in Singapore, attained the following achievements: first place in the Singapore 18 km Canoe Marathon, first place in the Singapore Ocean Racing Series, second place in the Singapore 6.5 km Ocean Cup, and the fifth fastest Asian timing at the 2019 Canoe Racing World Cup championships held in France.
Commander U.M.V.P. Perera has the distinction of being the first Sri Lankan to have circumnavigated the island nation on a kayak.
International competitions
The first-ever international participation was by Levante Gannoruwa, a Sri Lankan/Hungarian dual citizen who took part in the Canoe World Championship held in Duisburg, Germany in August 2007. In 2013, a national kayak team participated in the 15th Asian Canoe Sprint Championships in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The Lankan Paddlers qualified up to the semifinals stage in the 200 m, 1,000 m, and 5,000 m K1 competitions.
The year 2018 was a very active year for canoeing. Kavindi Ranatunge received a scholarship from the Olympic Solidarity programme of the IOC to participate in the Youth Olympic Games Qualifier for canoe sports and in a short training programme in Barcelona, Spain, following a year’s training programme in Sri Lanka.
Although Kavindi was not able to qualify, she was a lot younger and relatively inexperienced compared to the top-level athletes present at the global event. This experience gained at the Youth Olympics Qualifier in Barcelona enabled her to win nine Gold medals at the Canoe Nationals held in Sri Lanka soon thereafter and to become the best female paddler in the country at the age of 15.
May 2018 was etched in the history books of the canoeing sport in Sri Lanka when a team from Esquel Group competed in an intercompany international dragon boat competition held in China and was placed third.
V. Sumanga represented Sri Lanka at the Under 23 training and international competition held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, but was unfortunately disqualified in the heats stage. R.P.D.B.I. Wijeratne represented Sri Lanka at the Asian Games, 2018 held in Palenbag, Indonesia – the first ever Sri Lankan representation in kayaking at the Asian Level, qualifying for the semifinals in a highly competitive event.
S.V. Sumanga and M.K.S. Deshapriya took part in the Under 23 Asian Championships in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, but did not perform well, being eliminated at the heats stage. More committed training and participation in competitions are needed to bring up the levels of participation at the international levels.
Memberships
The present membership comprises the defence services, namely, the Sri Lanka Army, Navy, and the Air Force, the STF, clubs including Adventure Seals, Bolgoda Lake Rowing Club, Lanka Adventure, Borderlands, and Crown Canoe Club, schools including Royal College, Wesley College St. Bridget’s Convent, St. Joseph’s College, The British School, Gateway College, Prince of Wales’ College, St. Sebastian’s College, and Ananda College.
More schools need to be encouraged to join, particularly from the outstations. This can now become a reality with more boats being distributed free of charge to the provinces.
Need for a training centre
There is a pressing need for the sport of canoeing and kayaking in Sri Lanka. A suitable plot was identified at the Diyawanna Oya complex, originally proposed by the Ministry of Sports under an agreement with the Urban Development Authority (UDA).
However, the UDA is now quoting exorbitant prices for plots of land in low-lying areas, which cannot carry permanent structures and are only suitable for temporary buildings such as boathouses to service water sports activities.
It is hoped that saner counsel will prevail with the UDA to enable contribution to water sports development in the country, which are being promoted by non-remunerated volunteers involved in ‘not for profit’ ventures. Asking for commercial prices for areas deemed environmentally-sensitive and expected to be used only for eco-friendly, non-polluting, noise-free activities is not in keeping with logic.
“It has been a challenging journey bringing up a relatively new Olympic sport from ground zero as volunteers. What has been achieved to date is due to the teamwork, dedication, and commitment of the individuals mentioned in the foregoing, as well as the Sri Lanka Navy, which contributed a great deal to bringing the sport of canoeing and kayaking to where it is today.
“There is still a lot more to be done, especially by way of attracting benevolent sponsors, enhanced and committed coaching, training programmes, and competitions involving the larger cross sections of the population, especially the youngsters in schools who have to be taught at a young age in order to shine at competitions at international level.
“However, I am confident that the new team, together with the support of all stakeholders and partners, particularly the Sri Lanka Navy, will be able to take the sport to the next level,” Perera said, as he hands over the reins to a new team after nearly over 19 years at the helm.