Thursday, June 15, 2006

Sabah's Dragon boat race on Sunday

KOTA KINABALU: The 21st annual Sabah Dragon Boat Race will be held on Sunday, June 18, at Likas Bay from 7.30am to 1pm.

Jointly organised by the Sabah Tourism Board with its subsidiary Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn Bhd and the Sabah Chinese Cultural Association (SCCA), the race, the biggest of its kind in Sabah, will feature six trophy events with a total of RM32,500 in cash prizes.

Organising Secretary Zachary Mobijohn said that this year, the organisers have received applications from five international teams with one each from Japan and China, and three from Brunei Darussalam as well as a total of 42 local teams.

The Isokaze Aioi Peiron Dragon Boat team, from Osaka, Japan, won the Kansai-Dragon Boat Race and was placed second in Japan’s prestigious International Dragon Boat Championship last year. It is expected to be one of the strongest contenders for the Sabah Head of State’s Trophy.

The team from Guandong, China and one of the teams from Brunei Darussalam, too, will be vying for this prestigious trophy.

Top Malaysian teams expected to give the international teams a run for their money include last year’s winner, Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Team 1, and runner-up, the Maju Oriental Dragon Boat team.

The event will start at 7.30am with the Sportsman’s Oath Ceremony witnessed by Sabah Tourism Board Chairman Dato’ Seri Tengku Zainal Adlin, President of the Sabah Chinese Cultural Association Datuk Chau Tet On, and Vice-Chairman of the Organising Committee Sitti B. Damsal who is also General Manager for Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn. Bhd. This will be followed by the heat races that start at 8am and race finals at 11am.

Sabah’s Head of State, Tuan Yang Terutama Yang Dipertua Negeri Sabah, Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah and his consort will launch the event with the rice dumpling or Zong Zi Offering ceremony at 10.25am.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman, and Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat will also be present.

Members of the public are invited to attend the Duan Wu or Dragon Boat festival. For more information, please contact the Organising Secretary, Zachary Mobijohn, at 088-232121 or 013-8504007.

Courtesy of New Sabah Times

No comments: