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And the winner is...
The Star: Sunday 16 April 2006
Rivals, competitors, friends! In true Oxbridge spirit, alumni of the two top British universities raced neck-to- neck in the annual Oxford-Cambridge Malaysia Boat Race. TAN EE LYN reports.
PHOTOS BY KAMAL SELLEHUDDIN
THE FAMOUS British tradition of the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race is an eagerly-awaited event in the social calendar of many people around the world.
Many flock to the banks of the river Thames in London, or huddle in front of the TV, to catch the live telecast of the two titans of old-world universities pit against one another in rowing for pride and glory.
This competition dates back to 1829 when Cambridge sent a challenge to Oxford after two friends, who first had the idea for the Boat Race, wrote a series of letters to each other.
Quick, get it! Muhammad Izni attempting to grab a flag in the race.
More than 170 years later, the popularity of this race has soared beyond expectations and the hype has reached our Malaysian shores.
The inaugural Oxford-Cambridge Malaysia Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge alumni, held at the Lake Gardens last year, was a colourful affair.
This year, the venue for the race – the Podium and Pond at Sunway Lagoon Theme Park in Kuala Lumpur – saw a congregation of Oxford and Cambridge Society Malaysia members who came to support and cheer on their respective universities.
Heave, ho and shove! The Cambridge and
Oxford teams racing against each other. |
Competition was fierce.
The kayak race saw a very close fight between Oxford and Cambridge alumni.
In the nail-biting finale of a relay race, Oxford Malaysia won the race for the second consecutive year.
Teams were made up of eight members – seven males and one female.
Although the race in Malaysia embraced the English spirit, it was different in that they had two members paddling simultaneously around the pond, in an anti-clockwise direction, to collect a series of four coloured flags. |
Once the flags were successfully collected, they paddled back to base to send off the next two members.
The competition is one of the main events organised by the Oxford-Cambridge Society Malaysia.
“This race is a re-enactment of the competitive spirit of our student days," said Oxford and Cambridge Society Malaysia president Elizabeth Lee.
“Although Cambridge and Oxford has been viewed as traditional rivals by some people, their relationship with each other can also be described as brotherly and sisterly. “Look at their uniforms for example. They even chose different tones of the same colour. Cambridge wears light blue while Oxford wears dark blue,” she added.
Overjoyed at winning the race for the second year, Oxford team captain Izrin Hashim, who was also in the winning Oxford team last year, said: ”We worked very hard and battled fatigue for the title. But at the end of it all, what matters the most is the fun we all had.”
Despite losing twice in a row, the Cambridge team members kept their spirits flying high.
“It was a tight race throughout; at times, it was impossible to determine who would win it,” said Cambridge team captain Kavita Rekhraj.
The winning Oxford team comprising (back row, from left) Muhammad Izni,
Izrin, Andrew, Mokhtar, Nurfaizah, Dr Swee and (front row, from left) Lim and Azlan.
“But our team did their best and I am extremely pleased with the effort of all the team members. We will try again next year!”
The winning trophy was presented to the Oxford team at the annual Oxbridge Malaysia Gala Boat Race Ball held recently.
In the days before the race was introduced, alumni members used to gather at the Ball to watch the British race live.
Oxford was represented by Mokhtar Abdul Razak, Nurfaizah Abu Tahrin, Dr James Swee Lee Kong, Muhammad Izni Zuhdi Rawi, Andrew Chan, Lim Jo Yan, Azlan Aziz and Izrin.
[ The Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race was proudly sponsored by Deloitte ]
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