The Royal College of Colombo was the first school to start its own rowing program in 1953. Alavi Mohomed was the first captain and went on to be appointed as the first Sri Lankan captain of the Colombo Rowing Club.
The Boat Race which is a coxed event of four oarsmen began in 1962 against the College’s traditional rival S.Thomas’ College. By 1966, it broadened out to give rise to the regatta having a card of six events, made up of 2 Single Sculls, 2 Coxless Pairs, and 2 Coxed Fours. This marked the start of the Royal-Thomian Regatta which is the oldest inter-school rowing regatta in Sri Lanka and one of the most anticipated events in the Sri Lankan rowing calendar. The winner of this annual regatta is awarded the ‘T.N. Fernando Trophy’.