The waters of Bolgoda Lake prepare to transform into a high-stakes tactical battleground as traditional rivals Royal College, Colombo, and S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, square off for the annual Royal-Thomian Sailing Regatta. Contested at the Ceylon Motor Yacht Club (CMYC), the two-day regatta sees Sri Lanka's finest schoolboy sailors compete for the coveted Ranil Dias Memorial Trophy.
Introduced as a formal trophy encounter in 2017, the regatta honours the late Ranil Dias, a legendary figure in Sri Lankan yachting who, alongside his son Rehan Dias, made history as the first father-son duo to represent Sri Lanka in international sailing waters. Royal College established Sri Lanka’s first school sailing programme in 2013, followed closely by S. Thomas' two months later, elevating dinghy yacht racing into a major inter-school rivalry.
Often referred to as "chess on the water," the regatta demands intense strategic maneuvering, endurance, and split-second decision-making across changing wind conditions:
Royal College: Eager to reclaim the Ranil Dias Memorial Trophy after narrowly losing the 2025 encounter, the Reid Avenue side will look to turn its strengths across the Optimist and Laser classes into an overall victory. Royal's sailors will aim to build on their individual and team-racing performances from previous editions.
S. Thomas’ College: Returning as the defending overall champions, the Thomian sailors will look to retain the Ranil Dias Memorial Trophy after their dramatic victory in 2025. With the previous encounter decided in the final Laser ‘A’ team race, STC will aim to maintain that momentum against their traditional rivals.
The competition features fleet and team racing across Optimist and Laser classes, including the Ray Wijewardene Trophy for the Laser 'A' division, testing individual mastery and group coordination on every leg of the course.
Stay tuned to the Royal College Sports App for real-time race results, point tallies, and live coverage as both fleets set sail for ultimate glory on the water!