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Speedily down the stream

Much-awaited The victory comes after almost a decade

Any sporting event, known as much for its camaraderie as for its competitiveness, is bound to cause the victors loads of embarrassment if the results are sinfully one-sided. Almost sweeping the board with a 48-2 victory over the visiting Sri Lankans, rowers of the Madras Boat Club (MBC) found out that a surfeit of success can be as embarrassing as hopeless failure.

Over a hundred years old, the annual Madras-Colombo Regatta (conducted in Madras and Colombo alternately) has symbolised fellowship between sportspersons sharing the same craft. This year’s event was the seventy-first edition of the Regatta, which was kept in a suspended state during the World Wars and the period when the island State witnessed frequent outbreaks of ethnic violence. Between 1983 and 1994, there was a hiatus. After the Regatta was resumed, the Madras team fared badly. It entered this year’s Regatta, held at the Madras Boat Club, with a deplorable record — 1998 was last time the MBC team vanquished the Sri Lankans.

This year’s event started on a solemn note, with four rowers each from Madras and Colombo together rowing a boat named after Pavitra Rao (a rower of national repute), who passed away in May this year. Pavitra’s sister Aarti was coxswain of this boat that did a round of the Adyar river. After solemn moments of watching a boat meant to perpetuate the memory of one of MBC’s much admired rowers, members of the Club had a satisfying day in front of them.

With seasoned MBC rowers James Joseph, Rahul Baliga and Swathi at their best and the younger crop giving them able support, the MBC team appeared to be invincible. Of the 13 races, they won eleven. With one of their victories being in the point-less veterans’ event, the Sri Lankans ended up with a miserable two points.

For the MBC, the long-elusive success was sweet. But they would have enjoyed it more if it had been a close contest.

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