BPA: Newest Dragon Boat Heroes

The stunning & electrifying debut performance of the Bohol Paddlers Association (BPA) better known as the pioneers in Bohol Dragon Boating  in last summer's biggest sporting spectacle, the 2nd Cobra Energy Drink Philippine Dragon Boat Federation Intl Club Crew Challenge held in Dauis, Bohol made dragon boating the hottest and the best trending topic among Boholanos just this summer. 

Days leading to the national level dragon boat race to be staged in Bohol, many skeptics predicted that BPA wouldn't stand a chance in the event that was organized by Ret. Maj. Gen. Charly Holganza. 

Here are some snippets about the group

THE BIRTH OF BOHOL PADDLERS ASSOCIATION

It was on December 2012 that Bohol Paddlers Association was born. 

A group of sports- oriented Boholanos like Dr. Doyet Dumaluan, Rey Tirol, Clark Pumares, Glen Ocenia, Rey Cimine and others responded to the call for making Bohol the paddling capital of the Philippines. 

At that time, it was just one of those casual get- togethers where everyone shared their visions and their aspirations for the fledgling group.

Who would have thought that from what seemed to be just a dream has become a reality.

From a motley crew, the group has attracted a growing number in the membership roll which as of the latest count has approximately 70 members

The paddlers that comprised the Bohol Paddlers Ass. (BPA TEAM 1 & 2) were selected from the teams who joined the Inato Dragon Boat Competition last March 22-23, 2013.

Twelve Bohol- based teams joined in the two- day event. Rey Tirol, as the team manager sourced out financial support sponsors to bankroll the team registration, uniform meals and paddles.

BPA TRIUMPHS IN 2ND COBRA PHIL DRAGON BOAT REGATTA

Despite the participation of world- class teams and international dragon boat veterans and perceived lack of race exposure, BPA was able to make the winners’ circle.

In fact three of the four Bohol teams made the Top Four in their respective brackets

 200 M Open Standard Boat Sprints

Rank	Team	Time
1st	Philippine Army	00:41.27
2nd	Lake Buhi	00:43..32
3rd	Philippine Navy	00:44.37
4th	Bohol Paddlers Assn 1 (All- Male)	00:54.06

 200 M Women’s Small Boat Sprints

Rank	Team	Time
1st	Philippine Coast Guard	00:58.50
2nd	Philippine Navy	00:58.76
3rd	Triton	00:59.19
4th	Bohol Paddlers Assn 2 (All- Female)	01:05.60

500 M Open Standard Boat Middle Distance Event

Rank	Team	Time
1st	Lake Buhi	01:56.42
2nd	Philippine Army	01:57.26
3rd	Philippine Navy	01:57.90
4th	Bohol Crabhouse	02:05.86

Even the Distaff Side of BPA placed in the Winner's Circle

It is also noteworthy to mention that Bohol Paddlers Association manufactured their very own 10 paddler dragon boat to be used for the Inato Race. They started the dragon boat building on February 3 and finished five boats for the March 22 event. 

Can you imagine? Five boats in 45 days under very challenging circumstances and they themselves had to finance and source out the expenses in making those dragon boats. Credit to Kainget Kayaks with talented artist Brydon Lungay as production head. 

A MILLION THANKS TO THE SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

IMMEDIATE PLANS

Mr. Tirol’s group is making sure BPA will be making its presence felt and to imbue among its members a sense of meaning, purpose and relevance that's why a coastal cleanup and team checkup race has been organized and scheduled on Saturday, June 8, 20133 at the K of C Promenade Area.

A quarterly regatta is also in the planning stage where other national dragon boat teams are also invited.

The first one which is dubbed as the Sandugo Regatta 2013 is already being scheduled this coming July.

Everyone is invited to BPA's Coastal Clean Up this Saturday, June 8, 2013

With the perseverance, determination and never- say- die attitude & spirit of Bohol Paddlers Association, I don't see any reason why they can't conquer and overcome bigger challenges 

Good luck and paddle away!

Special thanks to Mr. Rey Tirol for granting me this interview

2013 Bohol Dragon Boat Race Winners

Dept of Tourism Central Visayas Regional Director Rowena "Weng" Montecillo together with Judy Quiachon strike a pose with the Bohol Paddler's Association dragon boat team. Also seen is Rey Tirol, one of the group's pillars and founders

The presence of the Department of Tourism and the enthusiastic support given by the DOT Region 7 Director Rowena Montecillo to the four- day event is already indicative of the potential of the event to draw in tourists and visitors. 

Thank you Ms Weng and to your staff for the assistance and the support

Prayer before the Race

The recently- concluded 2nd Cobra- International Dragon Boat Federation International Club Crew Challenge held in Dauis, Bohol truly lived up to its billing as the hottest and most exciting sporting spectacle to hit the province this summer

BPA Ladies surely  know how to beat the heat

HUGE TURNOUT

The event drew more than 600 paddlers from 14 dragon boat teams, team managers and sponsors from all over the country. 

The Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF) came in full force and led by its president, Marcia Cristobal.

The two- day hostilities that consisted of eight final races in three categories saw frenzied action from the competing teams that included champion teams Philippine Army and Philippine Navy. 

When the waters had quieted down and the paddles had been hauled away for safekeeping, everyone was in for a pleasant surprise. 

The much - anticipated neck-and- neck race for the overall championship between the highly- rated teams didn't materialize. 

NEW CHAMPIONS:

Coming out from nowhere to claim the Overall Championship was the Philippine Coast Guard followed closely by the Cinderella runner up finish of Lake Buhi Dragon Boat Team, composed of humble fishermen from Buhi, Camarines Sur. 

IMPRESSIVE DEBUT FROM BOHOL

The neophyte teams from Bohol didn't disappoint either. Three of their four teams landed in the Top Four of their respective race categories. 

Disbelief and doubts turned into instant respect and adulation with their impressive showing in their first ever PDBF- sanctioned dragon boat regatta. 

Butuan City's Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU) Dragon Boat Team, composed of young college students, did well also and were the certified darlings of the crowd for their good- looking paddlers who were so disciplined and focused in their races. take a bow young men and women from FSUU. 

Here are the official complete final results of the event:

PDBF FINAL RESULTS

There are eight official races in a PDBF- sanctioned race under three distance categories:

1.Long Distance                       2000 Meters

a)       2000 M Open Event Long Distance

b)       2000 M Mixed Event Long Distance

2.Middle Distance        500 Meters

a)       500 M Women’s Small Boat Sprints

b)       500 M Mixed Standard Boat Middle Distance Event

c)       500 M Open Standard Boat Middle Distance Event

3.Sprints                      200 Meters

a)       200 M Mixed Standard Boat Sprints

b)       200 M Open Standard Boat Sprints

c)       200 M Women’s Small Boat Sprints

2000 Meter Long Distance Category

2000 M Open Event Long Distance

Rank	Team	Time
1st	Lake Buhi	9:13.48
2nd	Philippine Army	9:33.11
3rd	Philippine Navy	9:48.81
4th	Onslaught Racing Dragons	10:03.07

2000 M Mixed Event Long Distance

Rank	Team	Time
1st	Lake Buhi	9:33.14
2nd	Philippine Coast Guard	9:36.45
3rd	Philippine Navy	9:41.45
4th	Triton A	10:14.89

500 Meter Middle Distance Category

500 M Women’s Small Boat Sprints

Rank	Team	Time
1st	Philippine Coast Guard	02:27.78
2nd	Triton A	02:31.01
3rd	Triton B	02:45.19
4th	Rowers’ Club Philippine Sea Dragon (RCPSD)	02:48.00

500 M Mixed Standard Boat Middle Distance Event

Rank	Team	Time
1st	Philippine Coast Guard	02:00.00
2nd	Philippine Navy	02:00.69
3rd	Triton A	02:03.72
4th	Lake Buhi	02:06.31

500 M Open Standard Boat Middle Distance Event

Rank	Team	Time
1st	Lake Buhi	01:56.42
2nd	Philippine Army	01:57.26
3rd	Philippine Navy	01:57.90
4th	Bohol Crabhouse	02:05.86

200 Meter Sprint Category

200 M Mixed Standard Boat Sprints

Rank	Team	Time
1st	Philippine Coast Guard	00:44.52
2nd	Lake Buhi	00:45.94
3rd	Philippine Navy	00:48.24
4th	Triton A	00:50.44

 200 M Open Standard Boat Sprints

Rank	Team	Time
1st	Philippine Army	00:41.27
2nd	Lake Buhi	00:43..32
3rd	Philippine Navy	00:44.37
4th	Bohol Paddlers Assn 1 (All- Male)	00:54.06

 200 M Women’s Small Boat Sprints

Rank	Team	Time
1st	Philippine Coast Guard	00:58.50
2nd	Philippine Navy	00:58.76
3rd	Triton	00:59.19
4th	Bohol Paddlers Assn 2 (All- Female)	01:05.60

OVERALL RESULTS

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total Won	Rank
Philippine Coast Guard	4	1	1		6	1st
Lake Buhi	3	2		1	6	2nd
Philippine Army	1	2			3	3rd
Philippine Navy		2	4			4th
Tritons		1	3	2	6	5th
Bohol Paddlers Assn 1 & 2				2	2	6th
Onslaught Racing Dragons				1	1	7th
Rowers’ Club Philippine Sea Dragons (RCPSD)				1	1	7th
Bohol Crabhouse Team				1	1	7th

Note:  Nine of the 14 teams placed in the different race categories

Smart Communications

Special 200 Meter Open Small Boat Race

“Live More Challenge”

Rank	Team	Time
1st	Philippine Army	50.36
2nd	Philippine Navy	50.63
3rd	Lake Buhi B	51.87
4th	Onslaught Racing Dragons	52.60

Elimination Round Results

Rounding out the rest of the Top Ten:

Rank	Team	Time
5th	Lake Buhi A	00:53.89
6th	Triton A	00:54.16
7th	Dauis Bellevue A	00:55.14
8th	Dauis Bellevue B	00:55.27
9th	Bohol Crabhouse A	00:55.96
10th	Bohol Paddlers’ Assn 1	00:56.40

Philippine Dragon Boat Federation Race Officials

RACE JURY

1. Marcia S. Cristobal	Chief Official
2. Ruperto Sabijon	Chief Umpire
3. April May Bonoan	Chief Judge

RACE OFFICIALS

1. Rowena Enriquez	Race Director
2. Priscilla Pinky Castillo	Race Secretariat Head
3. Judith Hakim	Chief, Athlete's Control
4. Ma. Ailene Padrones	Chief Boat Marshal
5. Ann-Nga Thi Celis	Asst Race Secretary
6. Nicanor Jasmin	Asst Umpire
7. Sophia Rae Labayen	Race Announcer