The Sri Lankan National team, consisting of two sailors and one windsurfer and the Sri Lanka Navy team, consisting of a sailor and a windsurfer, were invited to participate at the 1st Chief of Navy Staff International Sailing Regatta 2023. 

This highly anticipated event was held from the 14 March to 20 March in Karachi, Pakistan. The competition venue was at the Pakistan Navy (PN) Aquatic Club at PN Dockyard with the races conducted near Oyster Rocks, opposite to Clifton Beach, Karachi. Twelve countries, including Australia, Bahrain, Croatia, Egypt, China, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Oman, Singapore, Thailand, and Turkey had sent their teams to Karachi. 

The Sri Lankan National team consisted of Laser Standard sailor (ILCA 7) NGMU Ghanawardene, Sri Lanka Navy, Priyantha Gunawardene, Sri Lanka Navy participating in the Windsurfing RSX Class, and Laser 4.7 (ILCA 4) sailor Tharen Nanayakkara. 

The Navy team consisted of Laser Standard sailor (ILCA 7) JMPL Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka Navy and WAS Weeratunge, Sri Lanka Navy participating in the Windsurfing RSX Class.

The combined team was accompanied by Navy official and Secretary of the Navy Sailing Pool Lieutenant Commander Madushan Silva and YASL official and highly experienced Assistant National Coach Roshil Nishantha. National Coach Krishan Janaka along with Assistant National Coach R. Nishantha have had continuous intensified training for both teams and the national sailing pool since 2022. This is in anticipation of multiple upcoming international events this year, culminating with the postponed Asian Games 2022/’23. Once again, all training is facilitated and supported by the Sri Lanka Navy.

Chief guest of the recently held Sailing Nationals 2023, Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera emphasised that Sri Lanka was known, for millennia, as a sailing nation and the performance of our young sailors would promote and put our island nation back on the map for the right reasons. The sport of sailing is being promoted and introduced to many schools around the island, with much talent afloat. 

In a statement, Yachting Association of Sri Lanka President Joseph Kenny said he hoped that the Port City, with its new developments and world class marina, would enable and attract yachts and sailors with the state of the art marina and sailing facilities. 

YASL also thanked the National Sports Selection Committee and the National Olympic Committee for their continued support.