Putera wins Lawas River King title for 6th time

0

Awang Tengah (fourth left) presents the Overall Champion Trophy and King of Lawas River Trophy to Awang Damit, representing Putera.

LAWAS: Five-time champion Putera won the Lawas River King title for the sixth time at the Lawas Regatta 2014 when it defeated its biggest rivals Landas and Citra in a neck-and-neck battle from start to finish at the final race.

The two rivals pulled ahead of the pack at the start but Putera finished the race by a paddle’s length.

The race had the crowd on their feet and supporters roaring in support as the two fiercest rivals lived up to expectations.

As the 30-paddler boats lined up at the starting point for the grand finale, the sky turned dark and it started to drizzle and erupted into a downpour by the time the top three boats crossed the finish line.

Citra managed to break slightly ahead of the other boats to finish third.

Putera is owned by Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

Both Citra Alti and Pusaka teams who had won the coveted King of Lawas River title in previous editions were subdued this year by the overwhelming paddling power of the top teams.

Awang Tengah and his wife Datuk Dayang Morliah Awang Daud and other dignitaries including Bukit Kota assemblyman Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang were among others watching the grand finale.

Later, Awang Tengah presented prizes to winners of the respective categories.

The neck-and-neck battle for the King of Lawas River title.