Padawan Raft Safari no cruise this year due to dry spell

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KUCHING: The 2014 Padawan Raft Safari is expected to be the most challenging series in view of the current dry spell.

Organised by the Padawan Municipal Council (MPP), this year’s participants are expected to travel through very shallow waters in several sections of the river.

“If the dry weather continues until the actual event, I see that the most challenging route will be the one taken by the participants in the Expert Category,” said the Padawan Raft Safari 2014 organising chairman Councillor Edward Stephen Kurik.

“As several sections of the river will be very shallow, the participating teams may have to lift and carry their rafts in order to continue with the race.”

The Expert Category, which will begin at Kampung Annah Rais and end at Kampung Git, covers a distance of about 26km.

Edward, who is from Kampung Annah Rais, said the participating teams could encounter many shallow sections along the river, especially between Annah Rais and the Sarawak Kiri River.

He said so far nearly 100 teams have confirmed their participation in this year’s event, which will be held on Aug 3.

The races will begin from three different starting points depending on the category.

Padawan Raft Safari 2014 offers kayaking and five categories for rafting – Expert (26km), Men’s Open (20km), Women’s, Government Departments as well as Hotels and Tour Agencies (17km).

The Men’s Open Category will begin from Kampung Temurang whereas the Women’s, Government Departments and Hotel and Tour Agencies Category will start at Kampung Danu.

A total of RM24,500 prize money is up for grabs.

The Expert category offers the biggest prize of RM3,000 for the champion, second prize of RM2,000, third prize of RM1,000, and 10 consolation prizes of RM200 each.

For the Men’s Open, the top three prizes are RM2,000, RM1,500 and RM700, and the 15 consolation prizes are RM100 each.

For the Women’s, Government Departments and Hotel and Tours Agencies as well as kayaking competition, the respective prizes are RM1,000 for the champions, second prize of RM700, third prize of RM500 and five consolation prizes of RM100 each.

Winners will also receive certificates and medals.

Edward is confident that the annual event would be able to attract at least an equal number of teams participating in all categories.

He said 150 teams took part last year compared to just 60 when the event first started in 2004.

“If we see fewer teams it’s probably because of the weather, which makes the route very difficult to raft through due to shallow waters. But those in Expert Category like it because it’s much more challenging to race in shallow water than deep water,” he said.

Padawan Raft Safari is an event on the state’s tourism calendar.

It aims not just to promote tourism in Padawan but also engage the local community in leading a healthy lifestyle.