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MALACCA: The 26th Dragon Boat Race 2009 along the Malacca River was a big hit not only for rowers from the Chinese community, but also non-Chinese teams who joined in the annual event recently.
More than 1,000 people gathered near Jalan Laksamana and Jalan Quayside to cheer on their favourite teams as they raced from the starting line at the Tan Kim Seng Bridge to Dataran Sungai Melaka.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the 17 teams, comprised rowers representing various local communities.
“I am happy to see that the dragon boat race is an exciting sport not only for the Chinese community but also other races,” he said before launching the Dragon Boat Race in conjunction with the Malacca River Fiesta 2009 recently.
He hoped the annual event would be organised on a grander scale next year.
Ali Rustam said the sport could even be promoted as one of the main tourism events for the state.
The annual race saw teams racing in their dragon boats attractively rigged with decorative Chinese dragonheads and tails.
Each team comprised 12 members with 10 rowers, a drummer and pilot on board the standard 1m x 6m long wooden boat.
Malacca Dragon Boat Association president Wong Soo Tang said the competition this year attracted more local participants compared to last year.
“There were 17 teams this year compared to only 16 teams last year,” he said.
He said this year the competition had attracted an equal number of non-Chinese.
“We had non-Chinese taking part in previous years but this year we seem to have more Malays taking part in this traditional water sport.
“It is good to see that they are keen to participate in such a sport,” he said.
“It portrays our multiracial society in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s 1Malaysia concept,” he said.
In the competition, teams had to go through a three-round heat to qualify for the semi-finals where four teams competed against each other in the finals.
The Penang Municipal Park team emerged as the champion, taking home RM1,000 while the Malaysian Maritime Academy team A won RM600.
Meanwhile, Multimedia University (MMU) team B came in third and won RM400 and KK Earthworks Constructions Sdn Bhd team B won RM300.
Source From The Star
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