Updated: Wed, Jan15 2003 by Yiling
----------
DAY 1
----------
Frankly, we didn?t expect to turn in a sterling performance at the Penang Pesta Race. All we hoped for was to put in our best, have fun and gain exposure.
For many of us, it was our first time competing overseas. In fact, while other Singapore teams - like Civil Defence (Tanjong Pagar) - held a race-strategies meeting upon arrival on Sat morning at the hotel lobby, Safra guys and gals were debating where to go. Yes, where to go for the best local delicacies, shopping and entertainment after we were allowed to check in. Ooooops!! But then, you couldn?t blame us. We were really famished. No, we were truly madly deeply ravenous. And terribly sleep-deprived after a 10-hour-coach-journey ordeal alternating between sleepiness and hypothermia.
Vincent and Kok Wee catching some sleep
------------------------
THE PRACTICE
------------------------
Call us 'Kiasu' or 'Kia-see' but we were trying to be typical Singaporeans. Had to subscribe to standard military SOP ? recee the site of competition (and equipment too) and probably ?jio-jio? the organiser(s)a bit.
So, the whole jink-gang (less the wives, maid and children who went to recee the shopping malls) was deposited at the very deserted site at about 2 plus PM. Of course, we were late. There was a horrifying jam in Georgetown when we were trying to get out there (serious, I didn't make this up).
We are not joking when we said wives + maid + children.
The first words of welcome spoken to us: Safra? (Now then you come?) The NTU team had come, trained and gone. See? Someone was more 'Kiasu' then us. And we did not even see any sign of any of them, nor their bus etc. They seemed to have just disappeared. Or they were there really really early.
Race Site.
Belatedly, we realised we did not bring any drinking water or sponge with us. I had to make do with the water we were rowing on. Tasted quite good actually. Desperate situations called for desperate measures. Although Arthur kept urging me not to drink it, throat was too parched to heed his advice.
Training was short and sweet. Omar as usual came out with some brilliant stunts to torture us. It was ?10+10++30. In other words, we had to row 10 strokes backwards followed immediately by 10 long hard strokes forward and another 30 fast strokes to push our boats up. Siong! but think it is good training for ?starts?.
----------------------------------------------
Day 2 - THE AMAZING RACES
----------------------------------------------
Morning call was at 0515. Breakfast at 0600. Bus left at 0700. By 0800 we were at the site. No jams that morning. We were quite early but not the earliest. Then it was a long wait till the races started at 0930 and that went on until 0430.
Waiting for race.
From Singapore, there were Ngee Ann Poly, NTU, NUS, Civil Defence and the Nanyang Poly girls (rowing under Safra). We were like one of the smallest teams but we signed up for every possible race.
Luckily we didn?t underestimate the Penang teams despite their looking petite compared to our hunky undergraduates. The way they started pulling away so quickly once their rowers stood up. Wow!! THAT was really an amazing sight. Halfway down the course, the rowers would suddenly stand up or kneel, and off the boats would go.
Penang team standing up.
So, we were pleasantly surprised that we got into all the FINALS for the events we entered: The
mens 12-crew open,
mens 20-crew open,
women 12-crew (2 teams) open,
mixed 12-crew open (2 teams),
mixed 20-crew open.
But it was not without blood and pain. Yes, BLOOD and PAIN. Abrasions on the bums, lacerations on the fingers and cuts, blisters on the feet. Blood dripping from knuckles. A case of too many races, too little rest and no protection! The guys rowed like 5 to 8 races each. And many had to multi-task - ask Kok Wee, he was getting wildly schizophrenic halfway through, not knowing whether he would be rowing, steering or be drumming next. (I don't blame him because not even Omar could remember).
Admirably, Safra rowers held on all the way into the Finals winning a title in each Final. But the one we lost out on was the most uplifting ? the 20-men finals. Our boat was lagging after crossing the 250m mark at 6th position and then a miracle happened. The boat suddenly surged forward determinedly; it overtook NTU and then it overtook Civil Defence as well before crossing the finishing line at 4th place. We, from our vantage point, could see all the paddles flying in synchronization, the bodies moving forward as ONE; we could almost hear Chief Drummer Andy yelling to keep our guys charging even while his knuckles bled away.
And so goes the tale of how Safra?s men beat all their Singapore counterparts in the Penang Race ? to become First in Singapore, for a while (must not take for granted yah?).
We Won!!!.
Well, of course we were euphoric. So ecstatic we didn't mind going back last (bus came at 6pm). My only grouse was: no medals. Else I could have collected the much-sought after gold medal for the mix Final. Shucks. Will I never strike gold?!?!?!?!?
Waiting for bus.
-----------------------------
OF FOOD and FUN
-----------------------------
If you don?t realise by now, Safra?s main motive for going to Penang was to have a rousing good time. Which means more than just racing well at the races. There had to be a substantial amount of food, shopping and entertainment involved. And so we were, fighting over sumptuous hawker fare at Gurney Drive, stuffing ourselves crazy with Dim Sum the morning after, shopping for tau sa pia, local produce near Penang Hill, shopping at Gurney Plaza, prowling the streets for supper, singing our heads off at Karaoke (with pte bathroom) and surrendering to hour-long massages. It was great we had reason to celebrate too.
Singing our hearts away!!
Tim Sum!!!
--------------------------------------
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
--------------------------------------
Here?s the results for the final events we took part in:
1) mens 12-crew open ? 3rd
2) mens 20-crew open ? 4th
3) women 12-crew (2 teams) open ? 1st and 3rd (but 2nd team got disqualified because boat went into wrong lane)
4) mixed 12-crew open (2 teams) ? 3rd
5) mixed 20-crew open ? 1st
There were no medals or trophies for each individual race; instead points were awarded and tallied for the overall championships: Women?s, Men?s, Mixed.
And Safra hauled back trophies for all 3 categories:
1st for Women (went to Nanyang Poly),
2nd for Mixed and
3rd for Men?s
Team SAFRA!!