Cycling History of the Sri Lanka Air Force and
“ගුවන් හමුදා පාපැදි සවාරිය”

The Sri Lanka Air Force personnel have been in the forefront of cycling since the inception of the Air Force. The Royal Ceylon Air Force Cycling Club, then known as the Flying Wheel Cycling Club was had produced some of the elite cyclists of Sri Lanka in 1950s. This effort was augmented by the likes of Leading Aircraftsman Maurice Coomerawel and Leading Aircraftsman Chandra Perera who dominated the competitive cycling circuits of Sri Lanka in the 1960s. Between them they shared the first place of the Tour De Lanka (Lanka Sawariya) at the time.

Sergeant Henderson GH was the SLAF’s Champion Cyclist in the 1970s. He represented Sri Lanka at 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok and 182 Asian Games in New Delhi. In late 1980s riders like Flight Sergent Janaka Athukorala, Corporal Sarthkumara Wegodapathirana, Warrant Officer Anton J Fernando, Leading Aircraftman Asanga Milroy and Leading Aircraftsman Balachandra Hendry rose to become leading cyclists of the country. In 1990 Leading Aircraftsman Balachandra Hendry won the 1st place in the “Sama Papdei Sawariya” (Peace Cycling Tour) which is the longest race ever to be held in Sri Lanka (16 days) to date.

It is in this backdrop that SLAF orchestrated the plan to organize a Cycling Tour of its own. The now famous “ගුවන් හමුදා පාපැදි සවාරිය” in 1999. Then Commander of the Air Force Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakkody approved the plan forwarded by the then Chairman SLAF Cycling Air Vice Marshal Channa Gunaratne and Secretary SLAF Cycling Group Captain Shantha Dias to inaugurate this fabulous event. The inaugural tour was a One- Day Race from Colombo to Galle. Since then every year the SLAF has managed to hold this event as a part of its anniversary celebrations. The event was not held in 2008 due to the security situation prevailed in the country at the time.

From it’s modest beginning in 1999 the tour received significant upgrades almost every year. By the year 2009 the tour had transformed into a multi stage Cycling Tour spanning for three days and cyclists in the country are eagerly awaiting this event which happens on the first week of March every year. This transformation was equally supported by the Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka as the Giwan Hamuda Papedi Sawariya had become the No:1 event in their event calendar. In 2012 the SLAF added a Women’s Race to the tour and since then it had also being held every year.

The Guwan Hamuda Papedi Sawariya or the ‘Air Force Race” as the Cycling fraternity calls it has now become the longest running Cycling multi stage Cycling tour in the country in 2020 surpassing the “Tour De Lanka” (Lanka Sawariya) which had been held for 20 times. The Guwan Hamuda Papedi Sawariya today is the most prestigious competitive cycling event in Sri Lanka with its Silver Jubilee is being celebrated in 2024. Since the inception of this great tour the Sri Lanka Air Force’s commitment to develop cycling in the country has grown day by day. Today, Sri Lanka Air Force felids the best men and women elite cyclists in it’s ranks. The cyclists of the Air Force have represented the country many a time and they have brought glory to Sri Lanka at international level.

Sri Lanka Air Force Officers have had their fair share in developing cycling in Sri Lanka as well, Wing Commander Raja Wickramsinghe (Ret) was the Secretary of Royal Ceylon Air Force Cycling and Secretary of the Ceylon Amateur Cycling Association, the predecessor of toady’s Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka in 1965. Air Commodore Sujeewan Senarathne (Ret), Air Vice Marshal Kithsiri Leelaratne (Ret) have served as the General Secretary of the Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka. Air Chief Marshal Gagan Bulathsinghala was the President of the Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka (Interim Committee) from 2011 to 2014. Group Captain Ranga Perera is an incumbent Vice President at the Executive Committee of the Cycling Federation of Sri Lanka as at 2024.