Kota Kinabalu: Royal Malaysia Police Paddlers (RMP Paddlers) successfully defended the Head of State Trophy at the 9th FCAS Sabah International Dragon Boat Race held at Likas Bay on Sunday.
Despite the strong waves before the start, they managed to cross the 800-metre finishing line in three minutes and 40.29 seconds to take the RM10,000 cash prize, closely followed by second placed Jetama Asuk Hill (3:47.77s) who received RM5,000 and RM3,000 to Mempawa Dragonboat Club (3:41.47s) in third place.
RMP paddlers’ team manager Kenn Mohd Adzihni said after the prize presentation that they only had three weeks of preparation and were a bit disappointed that they failed to repeat their achievement last year.
Apart from the Head of State trophy, they had also won the Sabah FCAS Dragon Trophy and Kinabalu Dragon Boat Trophy Mixed team open title in the previous edition.
He added that they are hoping to return here to defend their title next year.
Meanwhile, the Sabah Chief Minister’s trophy was won by Warisan KDKL DBT A followed by N82 Bukit Sari Lawas and Lautan Biru Dragon Boat.
Advertisement
_300_x_250_px_(DE).gif)
The other top three winners in each of the categories were DBKL, RMP Paddlers, PPNNS - Al Hadda Maritime (Sabah FCAS Dragon Trophy); KKCCCI, KK Hakka Association, KK Hainan Association (Local FCAS Trophy); Penang Chinese Town Hall, KKCCCI, Kelab Rekreasi Komuniti Penampang (FCAS Trophy-Mix Team); KKCCCI, FCA Tawau-Hua Lian Youth A, WSG Bananas (FCAS Trophy - Men Team); SB Sawit Kinabalu, Jetama Entulon Junior, Lentuong Junior Team Tuaran (Kinabalu Dragon Trophy - local juniors 15-20); SPTB Brunei Darussalam, Kampung Sinampuan Lawas A, Mempawa Dragonboat Club (Kinabalu Dragon Trophy-Men Team 200m Open); DBKL, Kayak Team ITCC Penampang, RMP Paddlers (Kinabalu Dragon Boat Trophy - Mix Team 200m Open); KKCCCI, Karapaw (team B), RMP Paddlers (Kinabalu Dragon Boat Trophy Malaysian Women); The Federation of Chinese Association Sabah Team A, Penang Chinese Townhall, The Federation of Chinese Association Sabah Team C - KK Hakka Association (Hua Zong President Trophy).
Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin was present to grace the annual event together with his wife Toh Puan Norlidah RM Jasni.
Also present were Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun representing Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor, Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Datuk Ginger Phoong, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ellron Angin, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu, Dr Huang Shifang and FCAS President Tan Sri T.C. Goh.
