About SSI

The SAVA Sprints International continues the successes of the previous SAVA Sprints Events. As early as 2004, Singapore Sports Council was supportive of such a new initiative. Last 2005, the event formed part of Singapore Waterfest 2006.

Continuity is the key to any successful sports event, and it is our aim to ensure that SAVA Sprints International grows year on year into a high profile event. It is already very much on the dragon boat map, being a calendar event of great promise.

Regional teams have marked this event, and so far three Club teams from the Philippines have confirmed participation, with the possibility of teams from Hong Kong and Malaysia. If funding permits, the Philippine National Ladies Team would like to participate (this team was the winner of six gold medals at the recent SEA Games).

SAVA has played a key role in changing the mindset and the landscape of dragon boating in the past three years and has raised the professional bar. By continuing to work with the support of SSC and other stakeholders, we firmly believe that we can make this event the best there is.

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...the only competition to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer in Singapore...

History of SSI

Since the inaugural SAVA Sprints in 2004, SSI has firmly established itself as an annual 'calendar' event in the local and international dragon boat racing calendar.

It incorporates international race distances (200m, 500m and 1000m), attracting international teams from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand and the Philippines, as well as top local teams. It was the first dragon boat event in more than 10 years in Singapore to achieve such international and local participation.

SSI also had the prestige of being the first International Dragon Boat Federation 'Associate' event in Asia, the second such event in the world after Italy.

Last 2006, SSI III was held at Bedok Reservoir over the weekend of 16th & 17th October 2006. It was one of the launch events for Singapore Waterfest 2006, a festival of selective water sports organized by the Singapore Sports Council. The participation rate was a quantum leap from the 28 teams in SAVA Sprints 2004, to 40 in SSI 2005 and 48 in SSI 2006.

SSI is also the only competition to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer in Singapore. SSI 2006 also saw the "NECDC Challenge Cup" being staged, an event that was the culmination of dragon boat training sessions that SAVA had jointly organized with the North East Community Development Council ("NECDC") for teams within the NECDC.

Indeed SSI has forged an identity for itself. It is one of its kind, not only in Singapore, but Asia as well.

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