waD FaiLs tO kiLL u mAkEs u sTroNgeR: Chapter 20: Go..Goal..Gold!

30 October 2010: We only had 1 event for today: Event no. 63 Inter-Corporate - Mixed Heat 1

Ok, I noe the results are small. Let me elaborate then. There were a total of 16 teams which was competing in the Inter-Corporate - Mixed Category. This meant there wld be a total of 4 heats, 2 semi finals, and 1 finals to determine the champion.

We were in heat 1 and came in 1st in a time of 1.50.19 min. As a spectator on shore, I witnessed consistently effective strokes being executed. This enabled ocbc dragons to edge out our competitors DSO National Laborataries, Hewlett-Parkard Singapore (Pte) Ltd "B", and Deutsche Bank Pwm which were in Lane 1, 2 and 4 respectively.

I was filled with joy and pride as I welcomed them back on shore. Coach was also pleased with our team's effort in delivering a gd pace and power long pull.

Our happiness was short-lived aft Lisa and I went to the score board to take down timings for all 4 heats. For Heat 2, Singapore Shell Club came in 1st, completing in a time of 1.52.62 min.

For Heat 3, Keppel Recreation Club came in 1st in a time of 1.49.51min.

At this juncture, u may be wondering, "so, what's the big deal? wad's there to worry abt?" Wait till u chk out the timings for Heat 4..

1st Hewlett-Parkard Singapore (Pte) Ltd "A" 1.47.98
2nd ExxonMobil Singapore Recreation Club "A" 1.48.23
3rd Singapore Airline Cabin Crew "A" 1.48.63
4th Discovery Networks Asia Pacific DQ- finish wrong lane

Well, rmb tt although we came in 1st in Heats 1, we finshed it in a time of 1.50.19 min. Far frm spectacular nw..dun u tink? O-M-G indeed.

We debrief and then left to rec club to shower. Btw, I brought sunny today. He is becoming a familiar face to look out for in race day :p I bring him cz he simply loves going gai-gai, and sunny is a surprisingly awesome ice-breaking tool. hahaha.

Sunny: "I'm so tired..can u carry me pls?"

"finally..can zzz!"

Team Photo Day 1

Although it wasnt explicitly mentioned, I cld sense the doubt and uncertainty in each of us. After all, we experienced painful defeat in June Race. We came in 5th..LAST for mixed. What made us think we had d ability to climb back again and clinch 1st in the Regatta Inter-Corporate - Mixed?

Kenneth reminded us with this saying "遇强则更强", which means..met with a strong opponent, we'd be even stronger.

I prayed tt what he said was true.

31 October 2010: Today was definitely gonna be a very exciting day. We were involved in a total of 3 events. Inter-Corporate - Mixed Semi Finals, Inter-Corporate - Mixed Finals and Inter-Corporate - Women Finals.

Dragonboat in OCBC is quite a big thing. It's somewhat like back in NUS, whereby everyone will be notified by email abt d event. CEO, Chairman, HR are well aware and very supportive of d dragonboat team too (haha..sakar..well u nv noe who's reading :p) Anw, it was the head of HR (cynthia) tt blasted the email, and yes, she came down to support us as well.

Talk abt pressure to perform..

1st event for d day: Inter-Corporate - Mixed Semi Finals 1 @155pm.

Although it was the semi finals, it felt like the finals cz we were faced with strong contenders whom we wld definitely have a showdown in the finals. Here's a look at our competition and the timings clocked d day before:

Lane 1 Singapore Airline Cabin Crew "A" (1.48.63)
Lane 2 ExxonMobil Singapore Recreation Club "A" (1.48.23)
Lane 3 Hewlett-Parkard Singapore (Pte) Ltd "A" (1.47.98)
Lane 4 OCBC (1.50.19)
Lane 5 HSBC (1.53.01)

If we had chosen to let the previous day's results cloud our minds and crush our believe in our abilities, we wld not have attained wad we eventually did. Deep down, I prayed hard tt what I've mentioned during Wednesday's land trg (yea..forced to say smtg cz I'm v capt..roarz!) will resonate in every rower's heart.

"Our deepest fear is nt that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure"

The actual timing?

Lane 1 Singapore Airline Cabin Crew "A" (1.49.41)
Lane 2 ExxonMobil Singapore Recreation Club "A" (1.48.94)
Lane 3 Hewlett-Parkard Singapore (Pte) Ltd "A" (1.48.64)
Lane 4 OCBC (1.48.54)
Lane 5 HSBC (1.50.72)

Kenneth was right.."遇强则更强". We were powerful beyond measure! :]

Cynthia was estatic! She came over to us and congratulated us heartily. There were smiles on our faces cz we knew what this meant. If we cld achieve this in Semi Finals, we cld do very well do the same in the actual Finals. We juz needed to stay composed and level headed.

Hak Loon had briefed me earlier today tt I wld have to drum for the Inter-Corporate -Finals. This is becoz wendy (our golden drummer) was representing Team Sunday Dragons in the National Championship Women -Minor Finals. It was a back to back race and this meant she wldnt be able to jump boat.

This time, it was my turn to feel very stressed. Roarz!

I was never a drummer. Ok, maybe twice in my entire db career. Drummer for heats and repecharge, yes..but never in the finals. Never in major event such as this. I told Theresa when I met her the next day at Holy Cross Church tt I've nv felt this nervous being a rower. I've always thought the most stressful job is being the drummer or coxwain.

And now, I'm assigned to be drummer.

Inter-Corporate - Mixed Finals was @315pm. I had abt 1 hr to meditate..

I plonked myself conveniently on a chair and closed my eyes. I said a prayer to ask God to give me composure and let my voice and/or presence motivate the team to clinch champion for mixed. For the 3rd consecutive year. Gold.

I tried to recall hw Theresa assumed her role as drummer so easily in the past. She may be small, yet she has a commanding presence when she sat at the drummer seat. She wld call for "push 10" and blow the whistle to signal when it is time to charge. I anchored down tt feeling, tt memory, and hope I cld be like Theresa.

I meditated and ran through the race course, from starts, to maintainence, and then charge. I recalled rang's "Starts 要起! Maintainence 要稳! Charge 要上!" and of course..the image at the end of my visualisation is tt of us..winning.

As I wanted to leave my spot, I was being told by many, "Cindy, don't move. Stay very still!" Apparently, there was a butterfly who landed nicely on my back whilst I was meditating. It lingered for quite a while.

I heard Agnes and a few commenting, "it's Adrian.."

I smiled and felt tears welling up as I rmb hw Regatta races were always his special opportunity to try his sales pitch and ask me to row for OCBC Dragons. Is it really him? I dunno. I thought to myself, "Adrian, bugging me again?" :p

Event no. 53 Inter-Corporate - Mixed Finals

Lane 1 ExxonMobil Singapore Recreation Club "A"
Lane 2 Hewlett-Parkard Singapore (Pte) Ltd "A"
Lane 3 OCBC
Lane 4 Singapore Shell Club
Lane 5 Keppel Recreation Club

"Are you ready?"
"Attention"
"Go!!!"

I took 1 quick glance at all rowers- Bryan, Ethan, Doreen, Annie, Xiao Pei, Hakim, Kenneth, Lisa, Clarence and Weiming. Finally, coach.

The rest, as they always say..was history.

To be very honest, I was focused on our boat. So if u were to ask me at the end of the race what position we came in, I wld be stumped. From start to end, I focused on our rowers, and coach (who was our coxwain). Knowing tt coach has a history of losing his voice during race, I had to signal when it's time to charge.

I rmb counting out to execute our strategy- power strokes, transit to fast strokes..following which it'd be long maintainence pull. When coach shouted "last 5!", I shouted at d top of my voice, "Charging!! 3-2-1..Go!"

"Pull away!!"
"Pull away!!"
"Pull away!!"

We did it!

Champions for Inter- Coporate Mixed for 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Mixed Team (Top Row: Weiming, Ethan, Clarence, Kenneth, Bryan. Bottom Row: Doreen, Lisa, XiaoPei, Annie and Hakim)

Cynthia: I'm so proud of u! Hat-trick!

The ladies had no time to cool down..we had the next race to complete.

OCBC Women's Team (xiang ci was rowing with us last yr)

Event no. 58 Inter-Corporate - Women Finals

Lane 1 Singapore Airline Cabin Crew (2.05.00)
Lane 2 ExxonMobil Singapore Recreation Club (1.58.56)
Lane 3 Deutsche Bank Pwm (2.01.65)
Lane 4 Hewlett-Parkard Singapore (Pte) Ltd (2.00.91)
Lane 5 OCBC (2.00.61)

We rowed our hardest, but we cldnt catch up with ExxonMobil Singapore Recreation Club. They were in a clear led and came in 1st in a time of 1.58.56min.

We were stopped at the pontoon by race officials who received "tip off" that we had a change of crew. SDBA rule is tt u cannot change crew for back to back races. However, we had already informed the relevant officials of this.

Our women's team were very downcast and disheartened when we recvd news tt from a 2nd position, we were now last place because they added 5sec to our timing. We filed an appeal and explained cordially to the Chief Race Official. To cut the long story short, here's hw SDBA word it:

*team was initially penalized with plus-5secs time penalty for changing crew without Race Control permission. Upon further investigation, team had sought permission from the Assistant Boat Marshall. The penalty was then overturned in light that there was no intention to cheat and that formal permission was sought from a Key appointment holding Race Official

The 2nd place was eventually reinstated to us! Woohoo~

OCBC Women's Team (Top Row: May, CJ, Rosiel, Selina, Eng Cher, Chun Ling, Me, Annie. Bottom Row: Doreen, Lisa, Xiao Pei, Agnes and Hak Loon)