There wasn't any summary for this eventful day due to Chief Editor's memory crash. However, let me share some of the afterthoughts by then-V.Capt-now-Capt Jonathan and Coach Patrick (typos and all retained for original flavour - heck, it's the content that counts!)
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(Email from then-Vice Capt Jon)
Dear Team,
As I reflect on the race that was over a couple of hours ago, how we would have gotten the long awaited Gold Medal and the Champion Cup for Mixed category, something popped into my mind which I will like to take a moment of your time to share with.
For many of us, today's loss was unbearable. It was an exact replica of disappointment and low morale that surfaced during our defeat in JI '06. As the saying goes "so close yet so far" . This statement is only half right.
If we ask ourselves truely, what drives us? What's our source of motivation? The answer to the questions cannot be found in medal chasing. The answer lies in our beliefs in one another, in that Papillon can surface as a true medal contender and win races. To prove ourselves! This driving force had fuelled us to continously challenge our limits and to scale greater heights.
Papillon had always been the underdog in races. For the whole of 2006, we were medal -less, only there to make up numbers. The wake up call was in JI'06 when we lost what could have been ours. We trained hard consistently over the next 12 months and achieve what we had thus far: Bronze medal in CCG and Silver medal just 2 weeks back.
In retrospect, Medals are only a token and a form of official recognition. Ask ourselves, had we not already attained that? The timings had shown it all. The photo finish had proved it all. We had fellow rowers telling us that we are the rightful champion in their heart. What else do we need to convince ourselves we had beat the rest? Are we going to dwell into not getting another piece of token?
Objectively , we had met what we set out as a team to achieve. Over the past few races, we had proved ourselves continously. We had came in 3rd position in CCG, 2nd Position in Charity Race and 1st position in JI race. 3 wins in 3 weeks. This is the testament of our achievements. In fact, we had obtained the recognition from our peers in the dragonboat community. In a short span of one year, we have became one of the top teams in the inter-corporate mixed category, a team not to be reckon with. For this, I am proud to be part of.
Here, I will like to thank Patrick for his time and effort in bringing out Papillon's true potential. (with our consent to the suffering of course). Papillon Unite, let's get over this episode and look forward to our nextrace.
Papillon ReadY~ Kiyak!
Your Humble Vice Captain,
Jonathan Yeo
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(Email from Coach Patrick)
Dear Pappillon,
We went thru a really pressing time last weekend, the scene of us being DQ at the finish line kept flashing thru my mind. I kept asking myself "Why did it happen?"
The whole course of the race seems to keep replaying like a tape in auto replay mode, then i started to collect myself n see things in a positive n constuctive manner. Yes i made a mistake by overlooking the lane marking n caused the team to be DQ. Such a small detail n it caused us the trophy we really wanted i kept brooding n blamed myself, but i realised i'm just stuck at the same point n not moving forward. The race can'nt replay again, what i can do is jus make sure of the lane marking before the start of any race set. This kind of mistake did'nt occur to me in my years of rowing before, i paid my dues n will learn from this painful experience. On hindsight, i'm glad it did'nt happen on a bigger stage like regatta or jun race where the loss would be more unbearable.
Overall the team is really showing depth n heading in the right direction we have proven to the rest we came in 1st the timing can'nt lie, the same cannot be said if we came in at the bottom n argued for bragging rights to be the top team. The faith n belief we have in Papillon is what really comforts me, where everybody stick thru highs n lows together always encouraging. Like always this experience makes me wiser n spur me to bring Pappilon to the next level for more success in the challenging races ahead. A very successful entreprenuer once said :'' It's ok to make mistakes it's how fast u learn from it n pick urself up that is of outmost importance."
Rdgs,
Coach Patrick.
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= Chief Editor signing off =
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