The Hindu : Bengal, Services share honours

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 05, 2002

Sport

Sport - Rowing

Bengal, Services share honours

By Our Sports Reporter

KOLKATA JULY 4. The host, Bengal, and the holder, Services (SSCB), shared the spoils in the prestigious `elite' men's singles and double sculls events on the opening day of the seventh Open Sprint and fifth Sub-junior National rowing championship here at the Lake Club course on Thursday.

The first day of the round robin league phase witnessed a total of 74 races in the five categories--elite and challenger men's, women's, sub-junior (under-16) boys' and girls'--with the men's and women's sprints (500 metres) being the prime attractions.

The absence of Corps of Engineers Rowing Association (CERA), which was barred from fielding a team, in the senior sections for the first time in the history of the meet opened up the contest for the civilian outfits and Bengal took full advantage of the occasion winning its races in the singles and doubles sculls to brighten its semifinal chances.

Services--the traditional powerhouse--kept its reputation intact winning both of its races of the day. With the men's elite section not drawing enough entries, there were only two races on Thursday.

There was a hint of a controversy as CERA protested against the organiser's decision to allow only one Services team.

The organiser--West Bengal Rowing Association--cited a recent Services directive that did not allow any separate entry in a national level tournament. Though CERA is a member in the Rowing Federation of India (RFI) and thereby enjoys a separate status in the body, the RFI has reportedly upheld the Services decision of having only one team in the meet. CERA was only allowed entry in the sub-junior sections.

In the men's challenger section--which was the general category compared to the elite group which was meant exclusively for the national medal winners--Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Chandigarh ruled in the singles sculls event, winning two races each in the respective groups which had nine teams divided into two sections.

Karnataka came up with the best show winning all its races in the rest three categories--double sculls, pairs and coxed fours. Services did not figure in today's fixtures.

In the women's section, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu kept up their favoured status. Kerala won the singles sculls and pairs, Karnataka and Manipur won their races in doubles sculls and Tamil Nadu easily won against Orissa in the only coxed fours league race.

There were vigorous protests from Karnataka, CERA and Chandigarh who alleged that teams like Manipur and Bengal had fielded a majority of overaged participants. The organiser, however, rubbished the protests saying that all the participants had valid date-of-birth certificates, which is the only way of proving one's age in the competition.

In the sub-junior girls' section, Manipur proved a strong force beating the likes of Kerala and Tamil Nadu `A' in the group A sculls.

Tamil Nadu `B' did better in group B winning both its league races to brighten its chances in the knock-out phase. Tamil Nadu girls did well in the double sculls and fours events as both its `A' and `B' teams won their respective group league duels. Maharashtra fared well in the pairs section.

In the boys' section, Kerala, Karnataka (in group A) and Tamil Nadu `A' (group B) looked set to make it to the higher grade as each of the outfits returned a brace of wins in respective outings.

In the boys' fours section Bengal `B' has almost sealed a semifinal berth as it won both its races in the four-team group B. Friday will see the next phase of the group league contests.

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