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16th Dec 2009 The Star Online By WINNIE YEOH
PADDLERS from the Singapore Institute of Mana-gement (SIM) shone at the two-day Penang Pesta Open Dragon Boat Race 2009 held over the weekend. They clinched the first place in four out of the 11 races they entered.
Held at the Bandar Sri Pinang fishermen’s jetty near the IJM promenade in Jelutong for the first time, the event saw 27 teams with more than 1,000 participants taking part in the open waters competition which featured 16 races. 
Splashing thrill: A festive mood prevails at the Penang Pesta Open Dragon Boat Race 2009 with rowers racing each other in 16 races over two days. Over the two days, SIM won the Premier (Mixed) 1,000m category by clocking 5:07.74 ahead of first runner-up Nanyang Technological University (NTU) B which recorded 5:08.75 and second runner-up Nanyang Techno-logical University (NTU) A which clocked 5:11.27.
The team also won the Premier (Mixed) (Standard Boat) 500m category at 2:21.66 while NTU A came in second at 2:21.83. Nanyang Polytechnic Dragon Boat Team clocked in third at 2:25.01.
Apart from the two races, SIM also bagged victories in the Premier (Women) (Small Boat) 500m category with an impressive time of 3:13.62 and in the Premier (Mixed) 200m category by clocking 0:56.36. 
Pulling ahead: Singapore Institute of Management (foreground) taking the lead in a race. SIM Student Life and Services and Student Activities programme executive Andrew Ng Yong Hwee said the event was the first open waters rowing competition for many of the team members. 
Open waters competition: The participants getting ready for their races at the Bandar Sri Pinang fishermen's jetty. Ng said members had practised two to three times a week at the reservoir or rivers in controlled water conditions.
“Rowing in open waters is a brand new experience for the team.
“It’s definitely more challenging but winning four out of the 11 races is certainly a great boost,” he said, adding that SIM won three titles at last month’s Singapore River Regatta.
Ng said the institute had sent three teams to compete in the race.
SIM also won third place in two other races – Premier (Women) (Small Boat) 500m and the Premier (Mixed) (Small Boat) 500m.
On Saturday, the races that took place were the Premier (Open) 1,000m, Premier (Mixed) 1,000m, National (Open) 500m, Premier (Mixed) 500m, Premier (Women) 500m, Premier (Open) 500m and Junior (Open) 500m.
There were also three finals on Saturday for the Premier (Mixed) 1,000m, Premier (Open) (small boat) 1,000m and Premier (Open) 1,000m.
On Sunday, the rowers took part in the Junior (Open) (Small Boat) 500m, Premier (Mixed) 500m, Premier (Mixed) (Small Boat) 500m, Premier (Open) 500m, Premier (Women) (Small Boat) 500m, Premier (Open) (Small Boat) 500m, National (Open) 500m, Premier (Mixed) (Small Boat) 200m, Premier (Mixed) 200m, Premier (Open) (Small Boat) 200m, Premier (Women) (Small Boat) 200m, Junior (Open) (Small Boat) 200m and Premier (Open) 200m. |
