Hibatang Paddlers Calbayog City

Bohol Ultimate DB Fest champs

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 26, (PIA) –A group of young and yet determined paddlers who had to travel over land from Samar to Bohol, billet at the Dauis public gymnasium and the inconveniences of competing away from home worked perfectly for Calbayog City’s Hibatang Paddlers who emerged the champions and brought home bragging rights and P150,000 in cash prize during the Bohol Sandugo Ultimate Dragon Boat Festival (DB Fest) race, July 22-23 at the Miramar Wharf.

Coming here straight from back-to-back competitions in Siargao and for a fourth over-all finish, Hibatang Paddlers, supported by their local officials came in from a decent fitness test and the after thrill of euphoria, as first in the women’s crew, 4th in the Open crew and 3rd in the mixed crew but still managed to get the best times over-all scooping in a total of 63 points to rule over-all the 19 team ultimate paddling competitions.

Training for heat competitions, the visiting dragon boating crews joining the Bohol Sandugo Ultimate Dragon Boat Race were in for an energy sapping paddling surprise.

While dragon boat race competitions happen in heats of 300 or 400 meters, Bohol’s ultimate races feature an entirely different format: race the entire seven heats; the recovery time only happening as the team paddles back the starting line again, in four minutes.

Only after completing the 7 heat races can the paddlers disembark, only to be replaced by another team to do the next 7 heats.

Homegrown Dauis Wild Dragons, a select team of paddlers from the Bohol Paddlers Association Incorporated rowed for a second best time in the three categories: Women Small Boat, Open Small Boat and Mixed Standard Boat and its 7 heat races to earn the First Runner up.

Dauis Wild Dragons finished 7th in the Women Small Boat, 2nd in the Open Small Boat and 8th in the Mixed Standard Boat to earn 51 aggregate points.

Another local government sponsored Team: San Jose Banatti Dragon Boat Ream of San Jose Negro Oriental bagged the second runner up earning 50 points bagging first in the Mixed Standard Boat, 8th in the Open Small Boat and 13th in the Women Small Boat.

Manila –based dragon boat team Bomba Pilipinas Dragon Boat Team eased into the third runner-up earning 46 points after finishing 5th in the Women’s Small Boat, 5th in the Open Small Boat and 10th in the Mixed Standard Boat.

With a fourth runner up finish is Dumaguete Yellowfins, after finishing first in the Open Small Boat, 11th in the Women’s Small Boat and 12th in the Mixed Standard Boat for the same points with Bomba Pilipinas but lost to Bomba Pilipinas in the mixed Standard tie breaker.

Davao City Team Ricspeed Dragon Boat Team finished 5th runner up with 45 points after a 4th finish in the Standard Mixed boat, 8th in the Open Small Boat and 9th in the Women’s Small Boat.

Cebu City’s PADS Adaptive Dragonboat Racing Team of physical deficiency and challenged paddlers finished 6th runner up with a strong 4th finish on Women Small Boat, 7th on the Open Small Boat and 13th in the Standard Mixed Boat, earning 43 points.

Boholano team Haguroz Dragon Boat also earned 40 points overall with is third strong finish in Women’s Small Boat, 10th in the Open Small Boat and 14th in the Mixed standard, for the 7th runner up slot.

Another Boholano Team of Atty Jordan Pizarras Paddlers ranked 8th runner up with 37 points from a 6th strong finish in the Mixed Standard Boat, 10th in the Women’s Small Boat and 13th in the Open Small Boat races.

Iligan City’s Team Dalipuga Dragons garnered the same 37 points, but could only manage the 9th place in the standard mixed boat as against Atty. Jordan Pizarras Paddlers 6th finish.

At 10th runner up is Leyte’s Surviveoars Paddling Team with an aggregate of 34 points.

At 11th runner up is Sugbu Mighty Dragons with 33 points, 12th is Mayacabac Silliman University with 32 points and 13th runner up is Waray Bugsay Dragon Boat Crew at 32 points.

Teams One Piece Drakon Sangres, Kabalikat, Hilera Mizuchi DB Team A, Hibatang B and Hilera Mizichi Team B did not field some entries in either one or two categories, thereby eliminating them from the chances of getting higher over-all rankings. (PIA-7/Bohol)

THE WINNING FORM. Hibatang Paddlers of Calbayog City ruled the 2023 Bohol Sandugo Ultimate Dragon Boat Festival races, garnering the highest possible points earned 63 total points over-all and the bragging rights for being the festival’s fastest paddling crew team. (PIAbohol)