Harry (standing fifth right) and Khazanah Ujang team officials pose with their trophies.
BINTULU (July 18): The pairing of Khazanah and Ujang teams on the Bunga Nuing turned out to be a dream come true as they won the coveted ‘Raja Sungai’ (King of the River) title for the recent Sebauh Regatta 2023.
Ujang team manager Harry Francis Lutau said his team began intensive training with the Khazanah team, managed by Kadir Manap, early last month.
“The wait is over. After some time dreaming of winning the Raja Sungai, the dream has finally come true.
“It turns out that everything that was planned before the start of the Sebauh Regatta finally paid off with the success of winning the Raja Sungai trophy along with RM10,000 in cash,” he told The Borneo Post.
Harry said the victory was even sweeter as the two teams discovered they were a great combination, with members able to use their physical and mental strength together for better synchronisation.
“The special combination of Khazanah and Ujang is the compatibility of mixed paddlers even from different teams,” he explained.
Harry said both managers shed tears of joy and gratitude when Bungai Nuing became the first boat to cross the finish line.
He revealed that previously the two teams had always failed to get on the podium for Raja Sungai races.
“But when we collaborate to become a team with the name of Khazanah Ujang, the dreams finally came true,” he said.
Formed in 1986, Team Ujang is named after the late Tan Sri Celestine Ujang Jilan, who was the second generation of the previous team’s founder, the late Jilan Nyegang in 1963.
Harry, a member of the third generation who was entrusted to take over the team, said currently they have 80 paddlers with the youngest aged 18.
Two weeks from now, he said the team will compete in the Kalaka Regatta 2023 in Saratok.
“It is our hope to win Raja Sungai in Kalaka Regatta 2023 in Saratok,” he added.