KUCHING: Philippine powerhouse, Rogue Pilipinas Paddlers Club from Manila, made a strong impression on Day One of the Sarawak International Dragon Boat Regatta (SIDBR) 2025, powering through their opening heats with first-place finishes to confidently advance into the semifinals.
The 31-strong contingent, led by team manager, Mek De Castro, showcased their strength and coordination in their participating events, qualifying for the semifinals in both the Open Standard and Mixed Small Boat categories, with their A and B teams also progressing further in the tournament.
“We prepared well for this Sarawak International Dragon Boat Regatta (SIDBR) since August this year. We’re just doing what we did in Manila, and everything’s going fine,” De Castro told Sarawak Tribune at the Kuching Waterfront today.
He added that the team’s performance here mirrored their training success back in Manila.
The club features a diverse lineup of paddlers aged between 22 and 59, representing various cities across Metro Manila, including Pasig, Parañaque and Las Piñas.
Now through to the semifinals, Rogue Pilipinas will next compete in the Women’s, Open Small Boat, and Senior Open Small Boat events tomorrow (Saturday, October 25).
De Castro also expressed gratitude to the organisers of SIDBR 2025.
“We love Kuching, and this is our third time because we love it here. SIDBR is very good in conducting the races,” he said.
For the record, 49 events were contested on Day One of the three-day regatta, which will continue tomorrow with 60 events before concluding on Sunday (October 26).
