Junior racing debuts in the UAE

The regatta was for junior rowers in two categories, under 16 and under 20 with over 150 juniors taking part. Raced in Sharjah, north of Dubai, 37 schools were represented from Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and UAE.

Two days of racing went through heats, repechages and fiercely fought finals under the direction of two FISA umpires, Nicholas Ee (Singapore) and Lasantha Welikala (Sri Lanka). Singles, doubles, quadruple sculls and eights raced on the six-laned, 1000m course.

The regatta was organised through a partnership between the UAE Rowing & Sailing Federation represented by Mehdi Garidi (UAE National Rowing Coach) together with the Association of School Rowing in Asia, ASRA President Arif Ikram of Karachi Rowing Club, Pakistan.

“The [ASRA] regatta is a major leap forward for rowing in the UAE and represents many weeks of hard work,” said Garidi. “It has increased the profile of rowing in the UAE. We have a small but very dedicated membership spread over the five clubs and they all welcome new members”

“We have had some great racing here in Sharjah and all the competitors, boys and girls, have raced to exhaustion making it very exciting for all supporters and spectators alike,” said Ikram.

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ASRA – Association of School Rowing in Asia:

ASRA aims to focus on the sport of rowing at the grass root level and advance their skills to the amateur or professional level.

The inaugural regatta of the ASRA was held at the Bolgoda Lake Rowing Club, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka in 2009. The next two regattas were held at The Rowing Centre in Koovathur, Chennai, India in July 2010 and 2011 and the fourth at the Karachi Boat Club, Karachi Pakistan in 2012.