Reflections - 26th River Regatta

Dear all,

I hope everyone had a great River Regatta experience last weekend!

With concerted effort from every member of the team, PLK Paddlers has successfully wrapped up another competitive outing and ended the 2008 race season on a high note.

From the onset, the team unanimously agreed that we wanted
(1) improvement in results from River Regatta '07
(2) to do our very best for every race

On both counts, I think we have achieved our team goals. River Regatta medals never ever come easy. To achieve double silvers in 2 very hotly contested categories is no mean feat. This year, the race category of Inter-Business/Clubs/Houses saw an all-time high participation of 78 teams! Sheer number of competitors aside, it is commendable that we gave the big boys a real run for their money by coming within a mili-secondth of victory.

The Mixed Open event left many of us with mixed emotions but the undisputed fact is that we have improved on overall timing and performance for this race. Let's be glad that our team had the chance to row against strong opponents in a major event. We now know where we stand (it's not far off the mark!) and we will come back stronger than ever in the new season.

Kudos to our ladies and PLK B men for their valiant effort and positive attitudes. We may not have cleared the hurdle this time but I know we have all given it our best shot and that matters more than anything else. More importantly, we have gained valuable race experience as a team and learnt more about ourselves in the process. On the subject of race experience, I want to pay tribute to our 1st-time race coxswain, Jocelyn, for stepping up and doing a darn good job during the Women's Open race! PLK is one of the few teams in the entire Regatta that actually abided by the official rules to field a female steersman for an all-womens event. Well done, Joce!

I wish to thank everyone for their help throughout the event. Big thanks too to all our supporters who couldn't make it down but flooded our phones & mailboxes with well wishes and encouragement. All your good luck messages really mean a lot to the team! To our die-hard fans (Milo, Diana, Wenjing, Jackson) and those who specially came down on Day 2 despite not having to race, your presence was a real morale booster to the rowers.

Hereby, HONORARY MENTION must be given to the following individuals for their hard work:

• Chris - she burned midnight oil for countless nights designing our fantastically stylo PLK posters & namecards
• Bernard - he had to dismantle his backseats for a week (!) to transport the tentages, tables & chairs
• Steven, Derrick, Roger - for purchasing and moving all other logistics from Kallang to race site
• Wendy & John - for diligently manning our recruitment booth over the wkend
• Clarissa, Meimei, Geraldine, Sebastian, Sheila - you guys kept us well-fed and hydrated throughout!
• Joce, Yeo, Clar, Sabo Kim - for coordinating the uber fun birthday celebrations
• To Coach, thank you for the limited edition River Regatta F1 jerseys that you specially made for the team! We will treasure it always.
  

As this race season comes to a close, I'm looking forward to the new year and the new challenges ahead of us. With every race, we must set the bar a little higher for ourselves. PLK may not have won gold this time but we have the spirit of champions...Let's persevere and continue to train hard in preparation for the big one in June 2009!

Looking back at our humble beginnings, we should all be proud of our team's progress in the past year. Progress, not just in terms of medal tally but also the friendships and bonds that have been fostered along the way. PLK wouldn't be the team that we are now without everyone's selfless effort and contributions.

To a fantastic new race season and more fun & cheer ahead....
PLK Whooooosh!

By Team Coordinator (Evelyn)