Rowers positioned at ‘catch’ to cruise in regatta

Karachi Boat Club hosts the 72nd ARAE-FEARA event starting today.

KARACHI: Rowers from four Asian countries are all aboard to catch, drive and recover their oars as they gear up to showcase their skills in the 72nd ARAE-FEARA (Amateur Rowing Association of the East-Far East Amateur Rowing Association) China Creek International Regatta which gets under way at the Karachi Boat Club (KBC) from Thursday.

This will be the second time the ARAE-FEARA will be held at the club facility — the last time it was organised in 2006.

Around 100 contestants from hosts Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India and the UAE will be competing through their representative clubs to vie for a top-place finish in the event which will take place from December 18-21.

Participants from the age of 15 to veterans will take part in the fours category, single and double scull events, the quads and the pairs. There will also be an exhibition match in the eights.

Sri Lanka will be represented through the Bolgoda Lake Rowing Club and the Colombo Rowing Club, whereas the Calcutta Rowing Club Lake Club, Madras Boat Club and The Rowing Centre are part of the Indian contingent.

Pakistan will field its rowers from the Karachi Boat Club and Lahore Canal Boat Club, while a solitary entry from the UAE will be through the Dubai Rowing and Sculling Club.

We take pride in promoting the sport: Nabi

The opening ceremony for the regatta was held on Wednesday, which commenced with speeches from the KBC captain Arif Ikram, President Altaf Nabi and chief guest Jamshed Qureishi.

“In 2006 when we hosted the regatta, it was still new to us,” said captain Ikram. “There were just a few of us organising the event, but now I sit with a big team which shows how far we have come along.”

On the other hand, Nabi and Qureishi also shared their words of wisdom.

“We take pride in trying to promote rowing in this region,” stated Nabi. “While trying to raise awareness and increase the popularity of the sport, we here at the KBC have also renovated the facilities so that more boats can be out in the water and better equipment is provided for the athletes.

“We have cultivated distinguished rowers by sending them to camps in the UK and the US, to various events overseas to give them international exposure.”

Meanwhile, KBC’s head coach Asghar Ali said that even though the competition they faced was tough, they had a strong team which had prepared for the event for the past three months.

Zaara Khadija Abbas and Manal Kamran, two of the participants from the KBC, said they were in good form for the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2013.

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