PILI, CAMSUR -- The Camarines Sur Dragon Boat team sponsored by Governor LRay Villafuerte once again asserted its supremacy in the paddling game by decisively emerging champion of 2nd Manila Dragon Cup held February 24, 2008 at the Lakeside Estate in Mexico, Pampanga.

        True to form, the local team delivered awesome performances in the 300 meter race offs capped by a spectacular run in the final 2.5 kilometer marathon finals to best the three other teams and claim the gold trophy in the elite men’s category.

        The race off itself was already a convincing sign of the team’s paddling prowess, with Camarines Sur posting the best time of 1 minute and 16.05 seconds, over four seconds and a number of boat lengths ahead of its archrivals the PDRT Fireblades which clocked in at 1:20.09, the PNP Patriots at 1:20.39 and the Philippine Navy at 1:21.65.

        The marathon finals was a spectacular icing on the cake, with the Camarines Sur dragon boatmen strongly negotiating the punishing 2.5 kilometer run and finishing virtually fresh as newly-picked daisies with a time of 11 minutes and 59.11 seconds, over half a minute ahead of the two other finalists who crossed the line nose-to-nose within a fraction of a second of each other, the Philippine Navy timed at 12:31.79 and the PNP Patriots 12:32.76.

        For this victory the Camarines Sur Dragon Boat team received together with the championship trophy a cash incentive of P15,000 that were divided among the members.

        The four teams mentioned were the only entrants in the Elite Category, as the three other teams were the only ones who dared compete with Camarines Sur which has been lording it over all other teams in the country and even visiting foreign teams in recent races. It has been observed that other teams who used to compete in the said category opted to compete at the lower levels accepting the fact they would not hold a candle against the Camarines Sur paddlers.

        The Manila Dragons Cup is but one of several tune up races the team will compete in to prepare for the 6th Club Crew World Championships slated August this year at Penang, Malaysia.

        The team is set to participate at the Dragon Cup at Baywalk, Roxas Blvd., Manila in March, the Earth Day Fluvial Parade in April also in Manila, in the prestigious Boracay International Dragon Boat Races in May, and in June in the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation Regatta and the dragon boat races of Araw ng Maynila. (GBClaveria)

Caption: CHAMPION, AS USUAL. Members of the Camarines Sur Dragon Boat team (top photo) fully supported by Governor LRay Villafuerte exuberantly show off their latest gold harvest after indisputably clinching the championship of the 2nd Manila Dragons Cup held at Lakeshore Estate in Mexico, Pampanga last February 24. Despite a seemingly slow start shown in lower photo, the local paddlers aboard boat number 3, consistently managed to cross the finish line in all heats way ahead of all other contenders, enhancing a reputation as the “winningest dragon boat team” in the country today. GBC/RBRAZAL-MMEC