Dragonboat Festival/POL-ITE

[DBrocks]

Hi guys. Its been a long time since i step into this forum. So, the upcoming major event is the Dragonboat Festival which also means POL-ITE is nearing too. Any views and comments on this upcoming race? Please have a healthy discussion and not shooting any random teams or coaches which i have seen in some topics (: Thanks.

[MrPaddleshop]

I rmbr rowing in the first ever POL-ITE race and NP always gave a run for the money. Ever since then, it was always RP topping the event. This time I feel would be interesting to see because of the number of seniors that have left the team from most of the teams. I would still put my money on RP generally for their race experience and ability in long distance racing. Well, just my 2 cents worth. 

[boyfromcc]

True, shuffling in the team have been made with seniors leaving and juniors coming in.

RP is the defending champs and so obviously, they would do everything to remain that way. Closest rival would SP and am expecting them to finally beat them in a big competition this time around considering they always lose out at that important moment. But NP has impressed me the most based on PA races. Hopefully they could end their 'barren' last year to start anew considering they still have that strength and experience. NYP and TP would jst amke up for the race, no offence to any but they have yet to show that they are capable of consistency in high standards.

But i would put RP ahead of SP for it. I think that they arent ready to be defeated yet.

[leftrower]

boyfromcc, what you say is quite true, given that the RP SP NP are really those with results. From what i feel, no team could stay strong forever and no team would be losing forever. This is a brand new season right now and so far, we haven seen the real power of the polytechnics. Given that there is no Master series now, we could not really see the team out at their 100% yet. PA race is only 300m. June race is 800m and the pol-ite is 500m. you can't really compare them based on that. Both RP and TP are hiding at their own reservoir training hard and we haven't really seen them yet. We do see the other 3 teams in kallang, but do you know what they are doing?(refering to their training programme) if i'm not wrong for this semester onwards, all the 5 polys start sch at the same time, that means no one have a obvious longer break than the others as compare to last time. These group of guys are young men full of energy, hunger and passion for the sport. you should never write off a team in polytechnic, esp due to the competitve level nowadays. they dun go for races just to show their carbon paddle, biceps and their shades. the dun go for races just to do sight seeing. THEY GO FOR A WAR. THEY WANNA WIN.
Meanwhile, lets train hard for the upcoming june race. We shall see who will be weeping in tears of glory and who will be crying in tears of sorrow.

May the best men win.

[PK]

i'm being quietly optimistic that NP may just win it this year.
 

[boatingkid]

i'm being quietly optimistic that NP may just win it this year.
 

an optimistic NP paddler here.
 
but i don't rule out their chances.
in fact, i don't rule out anybody's chance of winning this race.
the polytechnic teams have been performing really well so far.
NP has bounced back, RP has just been there done that, NYP and TP seem to be improving.
it's anyone's race.
but let's not forget the other part of POL-ITE, the ITE team.
will they show up and put up a fight?
i'm not sure, but i hope they will show what they're made of.

these kids are the future of the dragon boat scene in Singapore
i hope they'll hunger to beat each other in the POL-ITE category, and aim for the tertiary and open teams.

[DBrocks]

hmm, i agree with boatingkid. Its never too clear nowadays who will win among the tertiary teams. RP has always been the one to look out for but SP might overtake them. NP showing great performance in the PA race but what about 800m? let's see and judge. NYP and TP hasnt been showing their faces in races. Who knows, they might be the underdogs to win? We may never know. oh yes. don't forget the universities and ITE as welll. ITE west was good last year. the unis are at their peak right now. NTU, NUS, SMU, SIM. who will emerge as champions? hard to say.

[Trivium]

dudes, and dudettes..

What's the purpose of this thread if everyone is commenting that it's an equal fight, anyone can win the race, etc..

If this was the punter's guide equivalent of Dragonboat racing, it would be out of business by now.

Ok, here my highly flammable (isn't that what makes this forum so interesting to read?) thoughts.

1) Mens Open: As NTU and NUS fight to lift a Cup which looks like a artwork which would look great in the SRC's offices, the Mens Open would be a closely contested event between SCF, NJC, MBT and a renewed SAFSA on fire.
Don't be mistaken, not all of SAFSA is great. There's the OCS team who's at the races just because it's a good chance to siam guard duty on a weekend, the Commando team who believes that pain is good, even more pain is better and the Pre-Enlistees who have nowhere to row now + the hardcore rowers. Look out for the last team mentioned, as they have the winning experience in the SP, RP and NP pre-enlistees.
Ah Hee and Nasiman's confidence in their teams can be seen if they dare to place a full-strength squad for Mens Open. This would be a true mark of how confident they are to aim for glory on all 3 fronts (IVP, Mens Open and PM Cup)

2) IVP: NTU looks poised to win it, 2 years in a row. A really tight final lineup would be; NUS, SMU, SP, RP, SIM or NP. I hope these teams would be their way thru the heats unscathed so it'll make a real nice race to watch. SMU's looking better as the day passes. SMU and SP would obviously make good sparring partners, since they share the same coach. And obviously, with more pacings and trainings, the standard can only improve.


Your Flamably,
Tri

[PK]

i'm being quietly optimistic that NP may just win it this year.
 

an optimistic NP paddler here.
 

hoho. don't assume that im from NP just because i said that 

anyway, i agree with what trivium said. i definitely hope that this year's open final will be more exciting to watch than previous years. that is, sending the exact same bunch of rowers who qualified for the final to race instead of putting them on the bench to rest them for the more important PM cup, something which we see every week in the BPL.
 

[MrPaddleshop]

Haha, I think Trivium definitely made this thread very interesting. Yes, I really believe SAFSA's best team will be that team made up of so many hardcore rowers. These guys have sth to prove after regatta.

Well, I think things are only just heating up for the four universities that are training very very hard for the all finale race. Actually I really hope the teams will throw their best rowers into the men's open and PM cup as well. It will only prove how strong these teams are. Looking from shore, I wonder how SMU and SIM will fare this time? Will they match up on par with NUS and NTU this time? Or will it be a similar result as last year? we will only know on the day itself..

Cheers,
Mrpaddleshop