Motorsports: Ashan Silva and Jaden Gunawardene emerge Eliyakanda Hill Climb winners

Ashan Silva and Jaden Gunawardane rewrote the record books at 25th edition of the Southern Eliyakanda Hill Climb held in Matara.

Driving a Mitsubishi Evo 9, Ashan Silva set a new course record of 31.26 seconds for the Eliyakanda Hill Climb while on the previous day, Jaden Gunawardane clocked 33 63 seconds on two wheels to erase the 33.752 second mark set by Sangeeth Suriyage in 2020.

Ashan who has much effort to master the Eliyakanda track smashed Dilan Senevirathne's 2018 record of 32 422 seconds on his first run with a timing of 31.78 seconds and bettered it by clipping off another 0.52 seconds in his second run. 

At previous editions including last year he has been the fastest at the meet 

Speaking at the awards presentation Ashan said that all credit for the record performance should go to his support crew as his achievement was a team effort. 

The motorcycle events of the SLT-Mobitel Southern Eliyakanda Hill Climb were worked off on Saturday at which Jaden Gunawardane established a new course record  clocking 33.63 seconds while Sangeeth Suriyage, the previous record holder could only manage to clock 34.38 seconds to take second place in the Group SM Super Motard open event. 

Jaden won three events on Saturday.

Rajitha Uluwita, who was possibly in line to achieve his best time for the track, lost control of his vehicle a few metres before the final bend.  

Rajitha was lucky to escape with a few minor bruises but his vehicle was not that lucky.

Kaushalya Ariyadasa and Shehara Jayawardena were the only female competitors at the event and Shehara made the podium being placed third in the SLH Cars up to 1618cc and Group S Cars upto1500cc events.

Minister of Sports Namal Rajapaksa, State Minister Kanchana Wijesekera and Matara District MP Nipuna Ranawaka were present to view the mornings action.

Motor Cycle Events

1: Group O Standard Motorcycles Over 100cc up to 125cc 4t
1: Sanjeewa Udayakumara (41.47 secs)
2: Maheel Pavithra (41.84 secs)
3: Dilan Rathnayake (43.43 secs)

2 Group M Standard Modified Motorcycles Over 100cc up to 125cc 2t
1:  Kushan Appuhami (38.45 secs)
2: Dhanushka de Silva (40.58 secs)
3: Gayan Pryadarshana (40.90 secs)

3: Group O Standard Motorcycles 160cc 4t
1: Prasanka Samarawickrema (37.89 secs)
2: Janaka Dinesh (38.94 secs)
3: Asanka Samarawickrema (39.65 secs)

4 Group M One Make Motorcycles Yamaha FZ 160
1: Maheel Pavithra (42.03 secs)
2: Amila Pathum (42.36 secs)
3: Arun Himasha (46.35 secs)

5: Group M Modified Motorcycles 250cc Super Sport 4t
1: Janaka Dinesh (35.66 secs)
2: Ishan Kavinda (38.98 secs)
3: Duminda Koswatta (39.33 secs)

6: Group M Street Trail Motorcycles Over 175cc up to 250cc 4t
1:  Maheel Pavithra (36.09 secs) 
2: Supun Suraj (37.33 secs) 
3: Udara Chandimal (37.34 secs)

7: Group M Street Trail Motorcycles up to 250cc 2t
1: S. Vasudevan (40.05 secs)
2:  Sarath Kumarasinghe (40.15 secs)
3.  Sivalingam Gnana Prakash (40.87 secs)

8 Group M One Make Motorcycles Kawasaki Tracker 250cc 4t 
1:  Maheel Pavithra (36.32 secs) 
2:  Sasindu Prasansana (36.98 secs)
3:  Supun Suraj (37.22 secs)

9: Group SM Super Motard 250cc 4t
1: Dushan Mudaluge (33.93 secs)
2: Isuru Maduranga (35.48 secs)
3: Maheel Pavithra (36.26 secs)

10: Group SM Super Motard Open
1: Jaden Gunawardena (33.63 secs - New Course Record)
2:  Sangeeth Suriyage (34.38 secs)
3:  Dushan Mudalige (34.56 secs)

11: Group M Sports Touring Motorcycles up to 600cc
1:  Supun Suraj (38.62 secs)
2:  Navindu Silva (41.75 secs)
3:  Pasan Buddika (41.98 secs)

12: Group M Sports Touring Motorcycle Over 700cc
1: Shashika Sandaruwan (38.66 secs)
2: Insaaf Bashir (38.66 secs)
3: B.A.E.S. Hemachandra (41.57 secs)

13: Group M Group M Over 400cc up to 600cc 4t Super Sport
1: Jaden Gunawardena (34.84 secs)
2: Aaron Gunawardena (35.39 secs)
3: Arun Himasha (46.76 secs)

14: Group M Motorcycles Over 900cc up to 1000cc 4t Super Sport
1:  Jaden Gunawardena (34.12 secs)
2: Aaron Gunawardena (34.73 secs)
3: Reza Odayar (35.87 secs)

15: Group M Automatic Transmission Scooter Over 90cc up uo 115cc
1: R.M. Mimshad (49.48 secs)
2: K.D.S. Sandaruwan (49.96 secs)
3: Navindu Silva (49.97 secs)

Motor Cars Event

1: SL-N Ford Laser/Mazda 323 up to 1500cc
1: Shenal Gunawardena (40.06 secs) 
2: Susantha Gunawardena (40.90 secs)
3: Mahesh Kodagoda (41.09 secs) 

2: SL-N Ford Laser/Mazda 323 up to  1300cc
1: Susantha Gunawardena (40.08 secs)
2: Sudath Jayathissa  (41.53 secs) 
3: Shenal Gunawardena (41.62 secs) 

4: Formula McLarens 1300cc EFI
1: Kevin Perera (38.57 secs)
2: Ryan Grey (41.40 secs)
3: Shanaka Rodrigo (42 50 secs)

6: Formula Cars Modified up to  1665cc
1: Nadeera Jinasena (33.17 secs) 
2: Dilan Senevirathne (33.51 secs)
3: Ryan Grey (42.50 secs)

7: Group T&J up to 5500cc
1: Duminda Jasinghe (44.61 secs) 
2:  Cassim.Wahab (52.54 secs)

8: Group T&J Open - Diesel and Petrol
1: Darin Weerasinghe (36.48 secs) 
2: Ishraq Wahab (38 30 secs) 
3: Sanjaya Sedara Senarath (39.00 secs)

9: Group A Modified Cars up to 1050cc
1:  Chamika Ranathunge (37.67 secs) 
2: Dilupa Palliyaguru (38.01 secs)
3: Dilanka Wijesuriya (38.46 secs)

10: Mini 7 - One Make
1: Sandaru Weerasinghe (39.91 secs)
2: Neel Weerasinghe (40.87 secs)
3: W.N.S. Tissera (42.25 secs) 

11: SL-H Cars up to 1618cc
1: Randika Niroshan (35 47 secs)
2: Irfan Fuard (35.61 secs) 
3: Shehara Jayawardena (38.17 secs)

12: Subaru Legacy
1: Randika Niroshan (36.65 secs) 
2: Hashen Peiris (37.39 secs)
3: Asanka Bandara (37.04 secs) 

13: Mini up to 1275cc - One Make 
1: Chanaka Rathnayake (40.76 secs) 
2: Sandaru Weerasinghe (41.05 secs)
3: Gihan de Silva (41.66 secs) 

14: SL-GT 3500cc
1: Ashan Silva (31.26 secs - New Course Record)
2: Tyron Hendavitharana (33.25 secs) 
3: Nadeera Jinasena (34.44 secs)

15: SL-E Nissan March 1000cc
1: Daham Jayanith (40.55 secs)
2: Adisha Kithvith (41.00 secs) 
3: Nirosh Jeewantha (41.69 secs)

16: SL-E Ford Laser/Mazda 323 up to 1300cc
1: Thushan Madusanka (40.64 secs) 
2: Chamath Palliyaguru (41.17 secs)
3: Rashitha Pasan (41.25 secs) 

17: Group S Cars up to 1500cc
1: Chamika Ranathunga (40.03 secs) 
2: Dilanka Wijesooriya (41.02 secs) 
3: Shehara Jayawardena (41.75 secs)

18: Diesel Cars Open - Club Event
1: Dilupa Palliyaguru (44.31 secs)
2: Rajith Uluwita (46.16 secs)
3: Rashitha Pasan (55.17 secs)

19: Special Club Event up to 1600cc Open
1: Javid Waham (45.37 secs)