The 24th Sabah Dragon Boat Race 2009 was held at Likas Bay on the third weekend of June. The two-day event, which ran from 20 June until 21 June 2009, saw the participation of 65 teams. The participants consisted of teams mainly from Sabah, and Brunei Darussalam is the only country outside of Malaysia that returned for this year’s race. Last year’s champion, Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan Tuaran, also returned for this year’s event.

Two Days of Dragon Boat Race
This year’s race was held for two days, with the heats conducted on Day 1 of the event. The final race was held on Sunday, 21 June 2009.

The final race was attended by a host of dignitaries, including the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah, Yang Berhormat Datuk Masidi Manjun and Sabah’s Head of State Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmadshah bin Abdullah.

Champions again
The team from Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan Tuaran defended their title in the Sabah Head of State’s Trophy event, and brought home RM4,000 of prize money. Last year’s second place winner, the team Terayung, won second place for this year’s race. Pasukan Kebangsaan Negara Brunei Darussalam, last year’s third place winner, could only manage a fifth placing.

Results
Here are the finals results of the 24th Sabah Dragon Boat Race 2009

Congratulations to all the winners of the 24rd Sabah Dragon Boat Race 2009.

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The festival was officiated by Deputy Chief Minister Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin, who represented the Chief Minister of Sabah, Yang Amat Berhormat Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman. There were a host of other dignitaries that attended the event, including Datuk Raymond Tan, Datuk Yee Moh Chai and the Mayor of Kota Kinabalu, Datuk Illyas Ibrahim.

The highlights of the festival were the dances, performed using props shaped into one of the three mythical creatures of Chinese folklores – the Lion, the Dragon and the Unicorn. These dances were performed with martial arts discipline but with the grace of a dancer, perfectly choreographed to deliver breathtaking stunts.

The Dragon, Unicorn and Lion Dance Festival 2009 was the biggest event held in Kota Kinabalu so far, and we are certain that more and much bigger events will be heading our way in the Year of the Ox. What a way to start the Chinese New Year!

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Qu Yuan would have been delighted to know that his final act of protest against a corrupt government have inspired an internationally-renowned watersport that brings out the best from ordinary people. On 15 June 2008, The 23rd Sabah Dragon Boat Race 2008 had just that, when a team of ordinary local fishermen won this year’s Sabah Head of State’s Trophy, despite facing an ocean of a task of defeating the reigning champion Brunei. There were 57 teams altogether that took part in this year’s event, including each from the Philippines and China.

The race went on, come rain or shine

Rain did not stop the participants or the spectators from coming to see this event. People started filling up Likas Bay beach as early as seven in the morning. Hawkers set up food stalls to the delight of the spectators, as food is always a welcomed sight whenever there is a six hour event going on.

The event was officiated by the Chairman of Sabah Tourism Board Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Seri Tengku Zainal Abidin, Organising Committee Chairman Yang Berbahagia Datuk Irene B. Charuruks and the President of Sabah Chinese Cultural Association Yang Berbahagia Datuk Chau Tet On. Among the dignitaries that attended the event was the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment of Sabah Yang Berhormat Datuk Masidi Manjun, the Chief Minister of Sabah Yang Amat Berhormat Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman and Sabah’s Head of State Tun Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmadshah bin Abdullah.

0:01 seconds.

That was the amount of time that separated the third, the second and the champion of the Sabah Head of State’s Trophy for the 23rd Sabah Dragon Boat Race 2008. Despite having only two weeks of training, the Pertubuhan Peladang Tuaran dragonboat team managed to beat reigning champion Brunei and bring home the grand prize – a trophy and a cash prize of RM 4,000.00.

The Brunei national team only managed to get a third place in the Sabah Head of State’s Trophy, as the second place was won by another local team from Tuaran, Sabah.

Here are the final results for the 23rd Sabah Dragon Boat Race 2008:

Sabah Head of State’s Trophy

First – Pertubuhan Peladang Tuaran

Second – Terayung, Tuaran

Third – Brunei Darussalam National Team

Sabah Chief Minister’s Trophy

First – Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort B

Second – Pekayuh Skim Remaja, Brunei Darussalam

Third – Tuaran F1

Sabah Chinese Cultural Association President’s Trophy (Men’s Open Category)
First – Penang Forward Sports Club
Second – Persekutuan Persatuan Cina Tawau
Third – Persatuan Teo Chew Tawau

Sabah Chinese Cultural Association President’s Trophy (Mixed Open Category)
First – Sabah Chinese Cultural Association
Second – The Federation of Chinese Association Sabah
Third – Hokkien Association Dragon Team

Sabah Dragon Trophy
First – Mengkabong Mix Team, Tuaran
Second – Nexus Resort Karambunai
Third – Tam Villa, Tuaran

Sabah Tourism Trophy
First – Shan Sui Golf and Country Club Resort B, Tawau
Second – Tay Travel (B), Kota Kinabalu
Third – Shan Sui Golf and Country Club Resort A, Tawau

The race ends for 2008

Congratulations to all the winners of the 23rd Sabah Dragon Boat Race 2008. We hope to see all the participants again next year.

Sources:
Qu Yuan reference from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qu_Yuan
Results from http://dragonboat.sabahtourism.com/2008/results.html

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Date : 15 June 2008
Organiser : Sabah Tourism Board
Venue : Likas Bay, Kota Kinabalu
Contact Person : Zachary Mobijohn
Telephone : +6088 232121
Email Contact : zachary@sabahtourism.com
Event Website : http://dragonboat.sabahtourism.com

source: www.sabahtourism.com

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Date: 05 July 2008
Organiser: Persatuan Masyarakat Tionghua Bersekutu Sandakan, Sabah
Contact Person: Organising Chairman
Telephone: +60 89 224026
Email Contact: Catherin.Chua@sabah.gov.my

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During Chinese New Year, the Lion Dance is performed everywhere around town. These dances are said to bring good fortune and ward of evil spirits. I was lucky enough to catch a performance of 18 lions at a house near K.K. High School.

A dragon arrived first, and it was a very long one, requiring around 12 people to operate. The dragon chases around a fireball, making beautiful swirls when moving fast. Here are the photos:

Soon after, 2 lorries came bringing the performers, musical instruments, metal stilts for jumping and 18 lions, that’s right folks, 18 lions! The drums and cymbals were played and the 18 lions started to dance. I’ve never seen so many lions at one house, all of them in bright shiny colours and performing simultaneously.

Resting while the metal stilts are arranged

Then, it was the act of jumping on metal stilts by a purple lion. Keep in mind, that the stilts are very hard to stand on steadily, let alone jump onto. It was moving swiftly and jumping so high, I had trouble following with the camera.

The purple Lion in action

The objective is to get the lettuce

Yummy! remember kids, vegetables are good for you.

Lastly, all the lions danced together again as the final part of the performance before ending the show.

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