The Sri Lanka Air Force Rowing team participating at the ‘2nd Indoor Rowing Championships – 2011’ organized by the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence university  in collaboration with the Bolgoda Lake Rowing Club emerged Champions in the ‘Men’s Elite’ category, ‘Men’s 25 – 31 years category’ and the ‘Endurance Challenge’. With this victory the Air Force Oarsmen were able to retain the ‘Vice Chancellors Challenge Trophy’ awarded to the winners of the Men’s Elite category, whilst winning the Wg Cmdr Thilina Kaluarachchi Memorial Trophy and the Bolgoda Endurance Challenge trophy in the other two events.

The Air Force Oarsmen on their way to winning these trophies beat all the previous year’s timings in the Men’s Elite category setting new standards for Indoor Rowing in Sri Lanka. Another unique feature for the Air Force Rowing team this year was the participation of a female team for the first time in the history of Air Force Rowing. The girls were able to clinch a ‘Bronze’ medal in the 21 – 25 Age category team event.

The two days event which was conducted at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University was keenly contested by the Officer Cadets of both the KDU and the SLAF and over ten other schools and rowing clubs. The competition concluded with a colourful awards ceremony at the auditorium with the participation of the SLAF Dancing troupe, the Officer Cadets Dancing troupe and a magnificent dance by the dance troupe of the ‘Differently Able’ soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army.

The results of the Air Force team are as follows.

MEN’S ELITE CATEGORY

Gold	Cpl Ranasinghe RMU	- 6.56 min
Silver	AC Chaturanga MKB	- 6.58 min
Bronze	LAC Kariyawasam KSTSN	- 6.59 min

Team Event (500 m x 16)

Cpl	Ranasinghe RMU
LAC	Fernando DTA
LAC	Kariyawasam KSTSN
AC	Chaturanga MKB

Time     26.09 min
Medal    Gold
 
MEN’S 32 – 36 YEARS (Bronze Medal)
Cpl     Gamini AH    7.20 min

Team Event (500 m x 16)

Sqn Ldr	KG Dassanayake
Sqn Ldr	NP Perera
Sgt	Aloysius C
Cpl	Gamini AH

Time    29.28 min
Medal    Bronze

MEN’S 25 – 31 YEARS

AC      Sanjeewa KG        7.09 min (Gold Medal)
Cpl     Tharanga TMLP    7.26 min (Bronze Medal)

TEAM EVENT (500 m x 16)

Cpl	Taranga TMLP
LAC	Perera BDK
LAC	Batagolla STN
AC	Sanjeewa KG

Time    27.54 min
Medal    Silver

WOMEN’S AGE 21 – 25 CATEGORY

Team event (500 m x 16)

Officer Cadet	Abeysingha H
Officer Cadet	Wijesingha H
AC	Sewandi
AC	Muthuporuthotage

Time    33.34 min   
Medal    Bronze

MEN’S ENDURANCE CHALLENGE (Rowed by four oarsmen for 60 minutes)

Cpl	Ranasinghe RMU
LAC	Fernando DTA
LAC	Kariyawasam KSTSN
AC	Chaturanga MKB

Distance    - 16,692 meters (16.6 km)