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| You might think that an island of such idyllic
beauty and balmy vibes may not be the kind
of place that generates the need for speed
and the thrill of extreme sports. You might
think that sports in Sri Lanka consist of
a gentle game of cricket on a Sunday afternoon.
But beneath the gentle surface, there lies
a passion for all things fast and furious.
Here are a couple of the leisure pursuits
available for the sports junkies amongst you
- strictly not for the faint of heart! |
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| Cool the Engines |
| Motor racing is a sport that the British
started in the 1930s and which is amongst
the fastest growing and popular in the country.
The twisting roads and steep gradients of
the central hills; the perfect setting for
challenging hill climbs, with the Mahagastota
Hill Climb and the Radella Hill Climb amongst
the most popular. |
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| One man who has an intimate knowledge of
the Sri Lankan racing scene is Dilantha Malagamuwa.
His is a love affair with the sport of motor
racing, which began in 1980 when he started
racing motorbikes. Throughout the years, he
has been a major force in Sri Lankan racing,
inning prestigious events both with cars and
motorcycles. He is also the first Sri Lankan
to race internationally, in such events as
Japanese Formula Nippon F3000 (where he was
the first non-Japanese Asian to compete in
the event) and the Rolex 24 in Daytona, Florida.
He provides some perspective on the history
of motor racing in Sri Lanka and also some
expert advice on where to go and what to see.
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| "I think we were one of the first
in Asia to start motor racing. Although we
are not in the International list, we have
lot of entries for cars and motorcycles compared
to other Asian countries. If our federation
puts a little bit of effort in, we can produce
good International drivers and riders. |
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| "The drivers and riders put a lot
of effort to make the events very competitive,
all we need is a little bit of backing from
the government and a good committee in the
Motor Sports federation. But we have lot of
spectators and the media is giving the best
support for this sport". |
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| International Racing |
| Dilantha's enthusiasm for the sport he loves
is evident in the efforts he's made. "Along
with a few friends of mine we built the first
racing track in Sri Lanka (Pannala International
Racing Circuit). Up to now there was no place
for our drivers and riders to practice or
test. After we built this track mostly every
one has improved their driving and riding
skills. |
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| "I think we have some very good drivers,
like Dan Dissanayake, Romani De Silva, Bri
Ponnambalam, Pradeep Jayawardena, Rohan De
Silva and a few young drivers like Dejan de
Zoysa, Sanjay Dissanayake, Duminda Amarasiri.
In fact, very soon we will start a racing
school to train some young International drivers
and riders". |
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| I ask him what his tips are on the best
places to race in Sri Lanka and his own personal
preferences. "I think the best place
I like to race is the Nuwara Eliya road race,
which is very dangerous and you need real
guts to go fast. The Pannala circuit is a
good technical track to learn how to go fast.
I think any one visiting Sri Lanka can always
visit Pannala and check out their skills.
Mahagastota is where you need very good skills
to go faster. Unfortunately I have not competed
there. But may be next year I will do". |
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| He also gives us a sneak preview of some
ambitious plans he has in place. "I am
planning to build another circuit very soon
where it will be longer and faster than Pannala
and where we could hold International events.
Motor sports is getting very popular in Asia
and there are few Asian championships and
they are short of circuits, so I think it
is a good idea for us to build one. With so
many exciting developments, it looks like
motor racing in Sri Lanka is set for an exciting
and action-packed future". |
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| Water Sports |
| If you like your thrills on water, not on
solid ground, then Sri Lanka will also be
a paradise for you. |
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| In many of the resorts along the coastline
of the South you can have your fill of jet
skiing, water skiing, wakeboarding and more.
But if you're looking for something really
special, then Arugam Bay on the South East
coast of the island is one of the best kept
secrets of the island. |
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Located a couple of hours drive from Tangalle,
this peaceful community is home to the international
surfing community. In fact, the British Professional
Surfing Association is planning on holding
a major surf contest there this May - the
Sri Lankan Airlines Champion of Champions
contest. |
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| Pro Surfing Championships |
| The 2004 event will be the beginning of
an on going programme to incorporate Sri Lanka
as part of the British professional surfing
circuit, as well as to promote Arugam Bay
in the east coast and Hikkaduwa and Mirissa
on the south west coast as premier surfing
locations. Sri Lanka's south west coast also
has some very good reef and beach breaks especially
in Hikkaduwa and Mirissa. Best time to visit
this part of the island is from October to
April - which contrasts quite nicely with
Arugam Bay's peak times, which are from May
to September - providing year round surfing
on the island. And with an average water temperature
of 27 degrees Celsius - come on in, the water's
lovely! |
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| Arugam Bay is near Pottuvil in the south
east of the island, one of the most idyllic
and unspoilt parts of the country - and also
one of the top 10 surf points in the world.
But be warned – this trip is not for
the faint of heart. It's a gruelling eight-hour
drive from Colombo and the roads on the latter
part of the journey aren't the most comfortable
in the world. But when you get there you'll
be rewarded with cinnamon sands, balmy skies
- and some cracking six foot waves and nice
breaks. |
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| Swells, Breaks and Barrels |
Arugam Bay is famous for its legendary right-handers,
and receives the same swells that hit Indonesia
mid year. The best time to visit this part
of the country is between May and October
when the wind is predominantly offshore.
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| There are three popular point breaks within
20 minutes of each other; one very good reef
breaks anything from 2-6 feet and provides
a wall that will barrel to give you a 400
metre ride and the two other breaks will also
provide 4-5 feet waves. |
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| Dutch Hospitality* |
| The best place to stay is the calm and tranquil
Stardust Hotel, run by a couple of Dutch*
expatriates. In 1979, Merete Scheller and
Per Goodman stuck a pin in a map to choose
their next destination - and ended up in Arugam
Bay. Even though the place seemed so desolate
when they arrived that they were tempted to
move on, they stayed the night. |
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| The place ended up captivating them to the
point that they decided to buy a piece of
land and build a hotel there. From these modest
beginnings, the roots of the Stardust Beach
Hotel took place. Generations of surfers have
passed through the place and the legacy of
Merete and Per is now more popular than ever
before. |
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| The minute you walk into the courtyard of
frangipani, hibiscus, bougainvillaea and palm
trees, the dust and heat of the journey will
recede away. After some pampering and great
food, you'll be ready to face the waves. |
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| In between eating or surfing, there are
canoes from which to spot monitor lizards
and wild monkeys around the lagoon, plus yoga
lessons and relaxing reflexology massages. |
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| Inland you'll find an astonishing range
of flora and birdlife in the nearby Yala and
Lahugala National parks, where wild elephants
regularly roam the coastal plains. All in
all, the perfect blend of relaxation and adrenaline. |
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