The UrbanWire      

Life’s a ride for 20-year-old Benjamin Say, defending champion of the Mens Wakeboard Freeride in the West Side Jam. Benjamin shares with us his tips and tricks and how he’ll be preparing for the upcoming West Side Jam 2010!

Name: Benjamin Say
Age: 20
Occupation: Student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic

Hi Benjamin! Tell us what is your training like?
Well, there’s actually no fixed schedule. I work at Maxout so I probably wake about 2-3 times a week, each time about an hour or two. Usually I do it after school on most days, or when I have no classes… Closer to competition days I train every day

Do you have to watch your diet? If yes, what do you do to watch your diet?
On season I have to try to keep within healthy weight, so I try to eat healthy food. Off-season, I just eat everything.

Why do you like wakeboarding?
There’s just a certain stoke that comes when you ride. When you’re moving on the water, it’s a feeling you can’t explain! There’s adrenaline, and it’s so crazy it just gets you hooked. And also when your friends are pushing you, and when you learn more tricks… It’s a social thing.

What is the wakeboarding community in Singapore like? Is it small and close or is it competitive and political?
The wakeboarding scene in Singapore is definitely growing. I’d say it started in the 90s with varsity people and expats who bring it here. It’s competitive, yet still friendly at the same time. Everybody seems to be pushing each other to do better.

Would you say that seeing beach babes are an added motivation for you to go for training sessions?
For sure! It’s never a bad thing. Guys and girls on the boat, by the sides, and it’s fun to watch people having fun. I’d say there are about a balanced number of guys and girls in the scene though.

How are you preparing for the competition? Are you keeping any secret moves to wow the judges?
Well, on competition day, it really depends on the water conditions and the mood, and whether I have the ability to perform then. Sure, I do have new tricks but there are also more restrictions, so go there to find out about it. West Side Jam is a pretty friendly competition where people push each other to their limits and mostly it’s to encourage local riders to participate.

What was it like winning the title in the Men’s Wakeboard Freeride category?
It was my first win, so it was a surprise win for me. I’ve previously had placings in other competitions but Maxout is my home ground so it was a great feeling to win a title at the West Side Jam! I hope to do better this year.

Other than winning the title, what did you win last year?
Ah. Products, a life jacket… things that wake boarders use.

Was it a close fight with the other competitors?
It was, it was a pretty close fight! It was pretty tough competing with all the ‘ang moh’ kids… haha!

At what age did you start wakeboarding? How many years have you been in competitive wakeboarding?
I started wakeboarding when I was 17, and I’ve been in competitive wakeboarding for about 3 years now. I started competitive wakeboarding about 3 months after I picked it up

Could you imagine a day without wakeboarding?
Yes, I could. But it’ll be super different! Wakeboarding is really a lifestyle…

Other than wakeboarding, what do you like to do in your free time?
I really like music and I play the piano, guitar and drums. And like any other student, I study in my free time too.

What is your dream job?
I have no idea right now, and maybe it won’t be related to wakeboarding at all, but I’ll still be wakeboarding for sure.

Catch Benjamin in action on 5 and 6 March at the West Side Jam 2010!

The West Side Jam will feature more than 30 regional and international pro-riders, free-to-watch competitions over both days and fringe activities such as a Roxy Beach Babe Contest, festival-exclusive sponsor booths, banana boat rides, discover wakeboard introductory riding sets, party yachts available for private charter, a fiesta party on the docks, as well as music throughout the day featuring local and international DJs.

For more details, visit West Side Jam 2010’s official website and their facebook event page!

This inaugural international fencing event from Jan 22 to 24, organised by Fencing Singapore, is the newest one in our local fencing scene. Held at the Suntec International Convention Centre Halls 601 and 602, which will be the official Singapore 2010 competition venue for fencing for the upcoming Youth Olympic Games in August, the competition was open to the public, who didn’t have to buy tickets to watch.

There were 7 categories – Boys Foil, Boys Sabre, Boys Epee, Girls Foil, Girls Sabre, Girls Epee and Team Event in this competition which spanned 3 days. As this was a “cadet” competition, fencers had to be between 12 and 7 to participate. Singapore was represented by about 20 fencers.

^{(All images by Andra Chua)}

In fencing, there’re 3 age divisions – Cadet is for fencers 17 and younger, Junior for fencers aged 20 and below, and Senior refer to those at least 21. The purpose of this categorisation is acknowledge the differing abilities due to age, making it fairer for the participants.

In the finals, Clive Leu, 16, who represented Singapore, beat his 15-year-old opponent from Hong Kong to clinch the gold medal for the Boys’ Sabre event. For the Boys’ Foil event, 5 Singapore fencers qualified for the top 16 positions. They did exceptionally well, fencing their best, and 2 of them successfully moved on to the quarter-finals (top 8), where they were up against fencers from other countries like Hong Kong, Japan, and Taipei, who had fencing experience ranging from 1 to 5 years.

One thing about this event that’s not usually seen in local fencing competitions was the colour-coded fencing pistes. The competition area was separated into 4 areas identified by their colour: Red, Blue, Yello and Green. This aided the audience visually, when the commentators announced the respective winners for each competition or “bout” (round), as referred to in fencing.

In usual local competitions, a team would require 3 to 5 fencers in the same weapon category, 3 being the main fencers for the team with 1 to 2 optional reserve fencers. This competition, however, had a unique trait in which the team event required 6 members, which would be made up of 1 fencer per weapon and gender category.

The foreign fencers and their coaches were impressed with the organisation of this event. Daniel Chan, New Zealand’s team manager, told UrbanWire that everything was well organised and on par with some top-level tournaments he has been to.

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Trail, sand, gravel and road were soaked with more than 10, 000 people’s blood, sweat and tears during the New Balance REAL RUN 2009 on Nov 8.

The ultimate X-terrain challenge pushed even the most seasoned of runners to the brink of exhaustion. Even Dev Kumar Rai, a Gurkha (they’re known for their courage and stamina), admitted that the race route was harsh.

“I think that the race is very challenging, especially the muddy area. It’s lucky that it didn’t rain before the race, or it would have been very difficult.”

Held at the Changi Exhibition Centre, the enthusiastic joggers were flagged off by Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, Senior Minister of State for Law & Home Affairs and current president of HomeTeamNS.

He provided words of encouragement to the runners like, “You can do this!” before waving the starting flag and was waiting at the end to cheer on the runners as Alex Melly breezed past the finishing line.

Alex, at a prime age of 26, proved to everyone why Kenya is dominant in long distance athletics with a convincing finish time of 32:48 minutes in the 10 km Men’s Open Category, more than 2 minutes faster than the second placed runner.

When asked about the race, he said, “I like the route, its very good.”

Up and coming runner, Rui Yong Soh, second year student from Raffles Institution is promising to be the next Mok Ying Ren with his first place finish in the 10 km Men’s Junior Category.

Call it déjà vu, but there are similarities between the 2 mentioned runners. Both have won the same running category and are sponsored by Nike.

Just 2 words from this young talented runner summed up the New Balance REAL RUN 2009, “Very tough”.

(All images taken by Pramod Gurung)

Used coke cans, green grass, and the smell of compost don’t quite equate to the Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

But on Oct 31, The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) rallied Singaporeans together, to drum up awareness for a greener environment and a greener YOG.

CAN! Green, in conjunction with the South West district of Singapore’s Clean and Green event, drew families, students, and members of the public from all walks of life to HortPark for a day of fresh air and warm sunshine.

The CAN (Create Action Now)! Festivals are held to celebrate the YOG, create awareness of and promote the YOG to members of the community.

If you don’t already know, the first-ever YOG is to be hosted by Singapore, come Aug 2010. CAN! Green is the festival in its third quarter, its theme – Environmental Friendliness.

For an event flying in representatives from 205 countries the world over (countries such as The Gambia, New Zealand, and Columbia), the inaugural sporting event most definitely needs to work on decreasing its carbon footprint in every other area possible.

There was plenty going on – dancing, drumming, recycling, giving away plants potted into used drink cans, and even an eco-fair where crazily enough, you could’ve bought environmentally-friendly refrigerators, laptops and washing machines. Talk about your business opportunities…

Apart from the sale of (green) electronic appliances, the rest of the activities were carried out by members of the community – schools were brought in to set up booths, dance school students were invited to entertain the crowd, and young volunteers with the YOG were also there to facilitate the activities.

UrbanWire spoke to Ms Han Liang Yuan, the Director of Communications and Public Relations at SYOGOC, about the YOG reaching out and involving the community in its activities.

“To reach out to more people, the YOG holds the CAN! Festivals, each with its different themes. This will help people to learn about and identify the YOG with these different themes”, she said.

The past 2 CAN! Festivals’ were themed Culture (CAN! Discover) and Digital Media (CAN! Click) respectively. The theme of the fourth and last festival, to be held between Jan to Feb 2010, will be Arts.

They certainly do sound educational, but Singaporeans don’t exactly need to be educated on the environment, do they? After all, the great national pastime is completely clean and very green – joining a queue for freebies.

More than 10, 000 local runners along with a million other people from more than 30 countries around the globe participated in the world’s largest 1-day running event, the Nike+ Human Race 10K on Oct 24.

It’s only the second year that Nike has held this event and Singapore was once again the only country in Southeast Asia to be a part of this historic race. It’s no surprise, actually, considering that Singapore was the first to fill its registration slots in a record 6 days.

This year’s run offered a unique race experience as the participants took off onto the track where, only recently, the top Formula 1 drivers were racing, with the tire marks still visible.

The runners were flagged off by a panda mascot from the World Wide Fund for Nature, Nike’s global adopted charity, while Estranged from Malaysia pumped up the atmosphere with their rock act. Adding to the excitement was Thaitanium from Thailand, Taken By Cars from Philippines and Singapore’s very own The Fire Fight and Composition B.

These enthusiastic joggers spilled out in an endless stream of red Nike t-shirts and it took more than 20 minutes for everyone to start their race.
Just 30 minutes into the race, the crowd went wild after seeing the flashing lights of the race marshals’ bikes accompanying the race leader, Jauhari Johan, from Indonesia.

He crossed the finish line in just over 31 minutes, which was about 2 minutes faster than what he clocked last year. When asked about his overall race experience, he said, “I’m very happy and proud that I won and this will give me a good confidence boost before the upcoming SEA games later this year.”

The flag-off time for this year’s race at 7.20 am, as compared to the previous year’s 4.30 pm, seemed to have garnered mixed opinions among the runners. The winner himself said that he preferred the race to be in the morning as that was when the body is fresh, while avid runner, Lee Ying Hao, 19, said that it’s better to run in the evening when the weather is cooler.

Despite differences in opinions, 10, 000 people from all walks of life still ran the Nike+ Human Race 10k. October 24 can now be counted as the day Nike united the world.

Run anywhere and anytime you want, and you’ll still be considered a participant of the Nike + Human Race 10k, which is returning to Singapore on Oct 24.

This is the new twist to last year’s multi-city event, now termed ”The Day the World Runs”, and Singapore is the only city in South East Asia to host the race, alongside 23 other cities around the world.

The freedom of not having to report at a fixed venue and at a fixed time is, however, only given to runners using their Nike+ iPod Sport Kit or Nike+ Sportband to record their run.

Those who choose to run the old way, can still turn up when the race kicks off at 7.30am at the F1 Pit Building. The scenic race route passes the Kampong Glam mosque, Nicoll Highway, National Stadium and the newly renovated Kallang Leisure Park.

Mr Glenn Heng, Marketing Manager, Nike Southeast Asia and Singapore said, “We hope to give runners an unparalleled running experience during this year’s Nike+ Human Race by combining their love for music and a very unique 10km race route, starting and ending at the F1 track.”

Apart from the special race trail, runners will be celebrating the end of their race with a highly energetic music concert featuring top regional bands such as Thaitanium (Thailand), Agrikulture (Indonesia), Chicosci and Taken By Cars (Philippines), Estranged (Malaysia), as well as local talents Composition B and The Fire Fight. The concert is also open to 3,000 non-participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

As part of the event, a Guys Vs Girls challenge will be held to raise funds for charities. MediaCorp TV artiste Tay Ping Hui will be showing his support for the guys, while Hype Records’ artiste Rui En will lead the girls to clock the most distance and garner funds for their respective charities.

With the inaugural Asian Youth Games (AYG) 2009 wrapped up, Singapore’s looking forward eagerly to the next big thing – the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) 2010.

And following the outstanding performance of Team Singapore’s Table Tennis team at the recent Beijing Olympic Games, UrbanWire went behind the scenes of international sports competitions that were held in Singapore, and met with Ronald Wee, at the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA), to find out more about what it takes to organise such a sporting event.

While the affable 51-year-old isn’t enjoying his durians, going fishing and travelling, he can be seen at international sports competitions held in Singapore.

UrbanWire: Hello, Ronald, thank you for allowing us to visit you at the STTA. Can you briefly introduce yourself, please?

Ronald: “I’ve been a referee since 1996, which means it’s been about 13 years, and talking about table tennis, I’m one of the two internationally qualified referees in Singapore, with the other one being Mr Joseph Lau. I’m also a member of the Umpires and Referee Committee, and the trainer for the Advance Umpires Training Course.”

UrbanWire: How often do people actually join the ranks of internationally qualified referees?

Ronald: “The international referee course isn’t conducted very frequently, say once in every 3 to 4 years. And as it’s conducted all over the world, it’s also dependent on the country that wants to organise a referee course. In addition, each country is only allowed to send one candidate for the course, though the host country may be allowed two.

UrbanWire: How did you become an international referee?

Ronald: “Before you become an international referee, you must first become an international umpire, which starts from being a national umpire. When you become an international umpire, you can then go and take the international referee examination.”

UrbanWire: Did you start off playing as a national player or did you go straight into refereeing:

Ronald: “You won’t believe it… I don’t even know how to play [table tennis] at all.”

UrbanWire: Are you serious?

Ronald: “I’m very serious. I don’t know table tennis at all. Zero.”

UrbanWire: We now know that you don’t play table tennis. But do you play other sports?

Ronald: “I do mostly running and swimming now. In my younger days though, I played soccer, rugby, squash, basketball and volleyball.”

UrbanWire: Hmmm, so how did you pick up this interest in table tennis then?

Ronald: “It’s just that in my line of work, we’re required to do officiating. So one of the things that my boss told me was, “Hey, I’ll send you for a table tennis umpire course”. When I said I didn’t know how to play, he replied that I didn’t need to [know how to play], and had to just apply whatever skills that I’d learnt from the other officiating that I was doing then. So, I just applied the principles of the rules and all that, strictly into the umpiring.”

UrbanWire: What’s the easiest and toughest part of being an umpire?

Ronald: “Things would be easy if the players abide by your decisions. On the other hand, players who think that they know the rules and would always like to challenge you on every decision, make things tough.”

UrbanWire: What was your most memorable experience being an umpire?

Ronald: “The most memorable was the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. It was the first time that Blue Badge Umpires (those who’d passed the Advanced Umpire Training) were selected to officiate in the Olympics. My name was not in the original list and I was only selected when one umpire failed his examinations. What made it so sweet and memorable was that I was being appointed to umpire in the Men’s Final. That itself was a recognition for being the top umpire, and it’s the best game that I’d ever sat in for.”

UrbanWire: What was the funniest thing that ever took place during a game?

Ronald: “It’s when I was just starting out as an umpire. I didn’t know how to play table tennis and was officiating a doubles match. Before the start of the service, the partners were exchanging signals under the table on how to serve. I, being a greenhorn, was taught to look at the ball at all times. So it was quite an amusing sight as I kept bending down to look at the ball [which was under the table].”

UrbanWire: What are some of the international compeitions that you have refereed for, other than the recent AYG?

Ronald: “I was involved as a referee at the 46th World Table Tennis Championships in Osaka, as well as the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. The last few were for the 2006 World Junior Table Tennis Championships in Egypt, Cairo, and the ITTF Pro Tour competition in Nanjing. And for most of the time, I’ll be the referee for all Singapore Pro Tours that are held in Singapore.”

UrbanWire: What’s a typical day on site at the AYG like?

Ronald: “The AYG started at 9am. Typically, I’d be here (in the tournament hall) at about 7.30 in the morning to make sure that the whole playing area is in good condition and that everything’s all arranged neatly. At the same time, I’d look at the previous day’s results, and some notes of the umpires’ performance that I’d taken down. When the umpires report at about 8 or 8.15am, I’d give them a briefing on the things to look out for, and the day’s schedule.

Once the competition is on, my job is to basically observe the play itself, and also to look out for any potential spark ons, which are potential games that may come into an argument or anything. So that’s what I’ve to look out for and keep an eye on. But on the whole, the AYG was pretty well run. I say this because the players came on the point of friendship first.

While a typical competition might finish at 9 or 10pm, the AYG was considered short because it finished at about 6pm. So, yes, my morning will start from the very beginning, where I’m the first one to come in, till the end, where I’m last one to go out.”

UrbanWire: How does the AYG compare against the various international championship games that you have refereed for?

Ronald: “In terms of preparation for the AYG, we were given a very short time frame of a year to organise it. So that’s one. Secondly, the whole competition was being helmed by the Singapore Sports Council. This was unlike all the other previous games, where the organisation work was done by STTA.

When organisation is done by STTA, we have a committee where we work out all the support plans and such. So I’d be very well aware of what’s happening.

This time round, for the AYG, they had a competition manager who would first attend the mettings, and then hand me some information regarding organisation of the entire event.”

UrbanWire: Was the final outcome like anything you had expected?

Ronald: “I had no problems with the organisation and fixtures. However, I thought that the playing surrounds and such, could be further improved upon.”

UrbanWire: Will these issues be addressed in the YOG?

Ronald: “I was told that the YOG will be provided with a totally different set of surrounds. For the AYG, we had to basically make do with the surrounds, which even till the last minute, were still being set up. Also, I was given the assurance that for the YOG, things will be definitely different and much better.”

UrbanWire: Is it much tougher to organise the YOG than other international championship games?

Ronald: “The YOG is very important and significant because it’s the first time that we’re organising it. But in terms of the organisation of the YOG, as compared to some of the international tournaments that I have organised before, I’d say that it’s not that difficult. I say this because the number of players participating in the YOG is small and fixed. When the number of players taking part in a competition is small and fixed, all the fixtures are already arranged beforehand. The schedules are also easily arranged.

Comparing this to other international competitions, where there are many countries participating, and the entries aren’t known until the very last day, these other competitions require a lot more planning and preparation.”

UrbanWire: YOG is expected to receive a much bigger group of players than AYG. Do you think STTA is prepared for this increase in number?

Ronald: “Yes, definitely. While we had tested out our preparations and work flow at the Toa Payoh Sports Hall for the AYG, the YOG will be organised at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, where it’s of a bigger scale, and will consist of 8 tables. And hopefully, we can expect more spectators than what we had at the AYG.”

UrbanWire: Did STTA use to organise tournaments at the Singapore Indoor Stadium?

Ronald: “Yes, the first time was for the Asian Championships, that involved about 33 countries. In fact, Joseph and I had organised that tournament as part of our practical assessment.

UrbanWire: So it’s going to be nostalgic for you to go back there?

Ronald: “(Laughs) In a way, yes. Definitely. It’s nice to go back there again.”

UrbanWire: In your opinion, how did the Singapore youth table tennis team measure up at the AYG?

Ronald: “At the AYG, Japan, China and Korea were very well-known power houses in terms of table tennis. However, from the observation that I had on the AYG, our youth team did pretty well to actually qualify for the semi finals. So, it’s not too bad. I would say that it was good performance. But when it comes to the YOG, we shouldn’t forget that there are other countries from the European side, that have also got very good players. So, it’ll still be a challenge in the YOG.”

UrbanWire: Which key players from our youth team should we be looking out for?

Ronald: “Our female player, Isabelle Li, and male player, Clement Lim. These two are the so-called backbone of the team.”

UrbanWire: Any particular country that we should be especially wary of?

Ronald: “Well, an Asian country would be China. Germany has got very good youth programmes, and France is very good too. Likewise, Africa has got one or two countries that have got good players.”

UrbanWire: Do the players inspire you?

Ronald: “Yes, in terms of their dedication, discipline and sacrifices for the games.”

UrbanWire: If you could be a player for a day, who would it be and why?

Ronald: “Vladimir Samsonov from Belarus. He is currently ranked 6th in the world. I admire him for his sportsmanship and easy approach, where he is always very obliging to the fans. Most important of all, he’s a good player who respects the officials.”

UrbanWire: Do you feel the adrenaline rush during competitions?

Ronald: “For myself, the rush is only the first day. It’s said that for any organisation work, it’s always in the first hour. When the first hour goes smoothly, everything will be as per normal.

Actually, I also take on the role of a trainer during competitions. So when things are going smoothly, I’d normally let the deputy [umpire] take over, and I’ll engage in watching the other umpires’ performances and giving them feedback. I think that our Singapore young umpires have got very good potential, and I want to give them the best training so that they can climb the ladder in the world of umpiring.”

UrbanWire: What keeps you going after 13 years as an umpire?

Ronald: “I wouldn’t say it’s for the love of the sport in terms of playing, but more in the terms of being an umpire – the joy I get from it. And because of table tennis umpiring, I’ve had the chance to travel to many countries. So for me, working as an umpire and helping in organisation work is my way of giving back to table tennis, what it has given me.

UrbanWire: Will you be involved in the upcoming STTA Table Tennis Championships?

Ronald: “Yes, I will be involved in all international competitions that are organised in Singapore. I will also be the referee for next year’s YOG.”

UrbanWire: What are your future plans regarding table tennis?

Ronald: “As there are so few referee courses around, one of the things I’m planning to do is probably to see if I can organise a referee course in Singapore next year, in preparation for the YOG.”

Despite putting up a good fight, the Singapore Rugby Lions lost the match to hot favourites Japan, with a score of 15 – 45.

Japan eventually went on to trounce South Korea 80 – 9 on June 16 in Osaka to clinch the top position of the Asian 5 Nations. `

The annual competition for rugby teams saw the young Lions relegated even before the kick off, where the young Lions faced the Asian champions, Japan, head on at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 23.

Hooker Gasper Tan told UrbanWire that they went into the game with one goal that is “to give it our hundred percent and come out with the crowd clapping and cheering for you.”

The atmosphere was electrifying as the spectators cheered for their favourite team. Within the first 8 minutes, the powerhouse team of Japan quickly burst into action, breaking through Singapore’s defence as they scored their first goal. By halftime, Japan scored four more tries and was leading 26-3.

In the second half, Singapore’s Ryan Cumbers converted four more penalties, chipping away the lead that Japan had at the start of the game.

The Singapore team soon switched to a more defensive style of play, which caused the Japanese team to lose their patience. Japan captain Takashi Kikutani found himself sent to the sin bin for an aggressive counter-ruck, which the referee ruled as shoulder charging.

However, the aggressive Japanese team managed to break into the home team’s back line as the game drew to a close, scoring three more tries before the final whistle.

The home team couldn’t ask for a better execution of game plan as they aimed to disrupt and slow the whole game down from the get-go.

“Winning the game was never a realistic target,” said captain Ben Wheeler. “I’m sure they’re slightly frustrated because of the amount of ball that we had and we held onto it very well. They obviously wanted to play a very open and fast game and we frustrated them into the game that we played.”

As for the Lions’ future plans, a delighted assistant coach Harry Woods said, “We have to take what we’ve learnt from this level and go into the next tournament, build on our performance and get back up so we can get back into this division.”

The Asian 5 Nations series has three levels of elite competition with promotion and relegation opportunities for participating teams. The levels include the Top 5, 3 divisional tournaments and 3 regional tournaments. The last placed team in the Top 5 will be relegated to play in Division 1 and the top placed team in Division 1 will be promoted to play in the Top 5 the following year.

Singapore, the only fully amateur team in the Top 5, finished last in the 2009 Asian 5 Nations and will be replaced by the Arabian Gulf in the 2010 Top 5 as Singapore moves down to play in Division 1 next year.

Familiar faces – including MediaCorp artistes Julian Hee, Jessica Tan, Singapore’s fastest female marathoner, Vivian Tang, accompanied by 20 other runners, could be spotted running along Orchard Road on Apr 1.

It wasn’t someone’s idea of an April Fool’s joke, or the filming of a new MediaCorp drama series, but the launch of Nike Run Club SG. Held at Wisma Atria, it gathered new and seasoned runners for a product trial run. Besides trying out the new Nike Free 5.0 V4 for themselves, runners also tested the route that the new Nike Run Club SG will take on.

Popular sports brand Nike promises a more rewarding running experience as professional trainers take participants, both amateur and practiced, through a 5km run along the bustling Orchard Road.

Present at the launch was athlete and sports journalist for The Straits Times, Jeanette Wang, 28. Wang believes that the run club serves as a free platform for new runners. “3 of my colleagues from The Straits Times took part in the run today, and I have never seen them run before!” she said.

Running has become an increasingly popular sport among Singaporeans, and having a platform to cater to this will find many fans, no doubt. Mr Stanley Goh, Country Director of Nike Singapore, added that this club represents their commitment towards serving the athlete in every active consumer, as here is where runners of all abilities can connect and share their passion for the sport.

It might be the first time Nike has hosted a run club in Singapore but the Nike Running Club had been launched in other urban cities such as London, Taipei and New York. The run club hopes to become a platform for seasoned runners to bond and to motivate non-runners to take up running.

Registration is free and participants get running tips from trainers, refreshments after the run, the occasional product trial and the company of 20 other runners to keep them going. Aspiring runners have no reason not to give the run club a shot.

Capped at 30 runners per session, the run will take place at 6pm on every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. Runners have to register beforehand at the Nike website. Registration must be done at least 13 days prior.

Gone are the days when a Singaporean boy gets to hone his soccer skills only in the dark, cement gray confines of the void deck.

Last Friday (20 Mar), 40 Singaporean boys of ages 13-19 developed their finishing, first touch and other aspects of their soccer skills at the Nike Ignite Challenge, held at Marina Bay’s floating platform, where an artificial pitch was installed for the event.

Jointly organized by The New Paper (TNP) and Nike, the Ignite Challenge seeks to spark speed, precision, control and touch into these budding soccer stars. The challenge involves the participants undergoing specific drills to build up the aforementioned skills, guided by a group of accredited professional coaches, and Nike seeded footballers.

The latter was probably the highlight of a fun-filled morning for the boys.

Luminaries in Singapore’s soccer scene – from local hero Indra Sahdan Daud to naturalized English-born stars John Wilkinson and Daniel Bennett – were present to impart their footballing wisdom and technical expertise. They arrived with native footballers Hariss Harun and Noh Rahman, and Nigerian-born defender Precious Emuejeraye.

Indra was very impressed. He thought the boys were “fourtunate” to have been given such an opportunity to develop their game under the guidance of such experts. “They didn’t have this kind of thing during my time,” the 30-year-old striker mused.

Indra, along with John Wilkinson, led the boys in a shooting drill. In it, a one-two would be played off Indra, beyond John, and the boys would be left to finish a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper.

The Nike seeded footballers were very constructive and positive during their time at the Ignite Challenge. During the shooting drill, John Wilkinson encouraged the participants to be more enterprising in getting the ball into goal. “Try something different. Be creative,” John urges aspiring football stars.

Indra also has advice for anyone who aspires to be a professional soccer player. “Finish what you started,” he says, “See your soccer journey out to its fullest potential. Stay healthy, train and keep the passion.”

Other drills in the challenge included trapping airborne balls, dribbles around cones, and controlled sprinting.

The best performer of the day was 17-year-old ITE Clementi student Stanely Ng. Stanely, whose soccer idols include Spanish superstar striker Fernando Torres and Indra himself, shows the same qualities as his role models: crisp finishing and a calm, composed disposition on the ball.

Stanely, who aspires to play for the Young Lions in the S-League, did not expect to win the Ignite Challenge. “I just came here to enjoy myself,” he admits. “I’m surprised I won. It feels amazing.”

While unprecedented, the Nike Ignite Challenge is obviously very good for the development of soccer here in Singapore. It teaches all the flicks, finishing and finesse most Singaporean kids learn at the void deck, without the law-breaking.

Nike Ignite Challenge- Stanely Ng takes a shot of the ball at the TOUCH station

Nike Ignite Challenge- Nike seeded local footballers striking a pose with Nike seeded football teens and coaches

Nike Ignite Challenge- Overall winner 17 year old Stanely Ng showing off his nifty footwork on the pitch at the CONTROL station.

Images by Nike Singapore.

He’s not exactly in his hottest form of yet.

However, despite training not being on his current agenda, Simon Chua’s mean-looking physique (his broad shoulders and bulging arms in particular) is still nevertheless capable of generating serious stares wherever he goes.

Watching the 39-year-old instructor on his rounds in the gym at the Young Mens’ Christian Association (YMCA) at Dhoby Ghaut, it’s hard to imagine how this Singaporean bodybuilder was once thin and frail in the days of old.

An average neighbourhood kid who hated studying and loved to monkey around, it was that fateful glance at well-built men pumping weights at a local gym near home that got Simon well and truly settled towards the road to bodybuilding since some two and a half decades back.

Mrs Chua tried her best to help her son out, buying him his first dumbbell – “from NTUC FairPrice”, Simon particularly remembers – when he was just 13.

However, for a complete newbie like Simon, it was not as easy as having the will and the most basic of equipment to start out with.

“I didn’t have the money then to go to the gym and work out or seek any professional advice. My trainings and diets turned out really messy as a result, so my body turned out looking in really terrible shape,” he explained.

Nevertheless, Simon pressed on. He continued workouts at home using the floor and whatever furniture for his set of exercises. During his time at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), he actively participated in swimming and canoeing activities. In addition, he worked as a waiter to support himself.

It paid off. He came in third in his debut at the under-21 National Championship (Lightweight) organised by the then Singapore Weightlifting Federation (now known as the Singapore Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation), held in Sentosa in the year of 1991.

It was a win Simon felt was “a very lucky one”, considering it was his first time competing in an event. It was also a time when bodybuilding gained widespread popularity, which attracted dozens of people, Malays and Chinese inclusive, to partake in the competition itself.

As modest as he may sound, his wealth of golds at subsequent regional competitions – including his recent addition earned at the 2006 Asian Games held in Doha – certainly serves as a sufficient testament to the blood, sweat and tears he’s put into churning out that perfectly chiselled frame for each event, often to showcase it for as little as the 10 minutes he gets on stage.

Just to have a rough measure of how frightening it gets, training commences as early as 5 months before the actual day of the competition. In this period of time, Simon has to part with the sensual delights of tastes in food.

Vegetables and meat have to be eaten literally raw without any form of seasoning. An alarming 30 servings of egg white also become part of a daily dietary routine. It’s an agonising process that frustrates even the most experienced of people, in which Simon admits not being an exception to.

“I really have my wife to thank during this time. She supports me by being patient with my outbursts. She also diets with me together,” he says.

Perhaps that’s one of the many reasons, then, as to why Simon doesn’t hold back on what his stomach craves while he’s currently “off-season”, citing durians, cakes and other local-made sweet desserts as his favourite foods.

Of course, he doesn’t totally slacken up – he does occasionally jog up and down the stairs of his Bedok flat whenever he’s having trouble sleeping.

Going back to the issue on training though, Simon couldn’t help reiterating the importance of proper training in the bodybuilding process. It is a concept that he finds the majority of today’s youngsters are completely unable to grasp.

“Many young hopefuls come into the gym, telling me that they want to look like Rain in a matter of 1 to 2 months. I only know a handful who come down regularly for training; the rest either are not committed, or don’t come back when they fail to see results within the short timelines they give.”

“People nowadays have got to realise that even with trainers and the best equipment, a great figure isn’t obtained overnight. It takes time, and it takes consistency and a correct attitude on the individual’s part. Pizzas and bodybuilding just don’t go hand-in-hand,” he further elaborated.

Words of wisdom, coming from a national icon indeed – it’s for sure that one won’t see any big news of him until he stages his comeback for the 2010 Asian Games, but know that Simon will always be happy and available, training groups of both boys and men to look healthy and to be also like heart-stopping lady magnets in the way he knows it best.

Singapore’s Central District saw people from all walks of life on Feb 8 as the 15th National Vertical Marathon (NVM) brought action to the otherwise lifeless Sunday.
(Read more)

Text by Nadia Shah for Hype magazine

Dry on ideas for what to do with your date this Valentine’s Day? Here are four ways to have some water fun. The best part is, you don’t even have to get wet at some of these places.

• Wild Wild Wet
• Forest Adventure
• G-Max
• Marina Barrage
• What You Need to Bring

Wild Wild Wet
If you’re up for some wild, wet fun, Wild Wild Wet is just the place for you.

The water theme park offers eleven rides and facilities, including the mind-blowing, heart-pumping Slide Up, where you get to slide down a four-storey ramp in an inflatable raft made for two.

Southeast Asia’s first raft slide, Ular-Lah, is also a must-do. The super flume ride that takes you through rapids will make you feel like you’re really white-water rafting. It’s guaranteed to make you want to ride it more than once, or 5 million times!

Once you’re done with the high-speed water chase, work out those kinks in your muscles in the Jacuzzi or simply laze around with your partner in wave pool Tsunami.

You could also hang out in a tube that will drift its way through the 335m-long Shiok River and talk about anything under the sun while floating on the water.

Whether you want to go fast and furious or slow and steady, Wild Wild Wet is a great date option.

And guys, here’s your chance to see your dates dripping wet in their bikinis. Need we say more?

Wild, Wild Wet is located at Downtown East 1, Pasir Ris Close, and is open from 1pm to 7pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and 10am to 7pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Admission into the park is priced at $15.50 per person. (back to top)

Forest Adventure
Play Tarzan and Jane by swinging through the forest on vines, picking fruit from trees and conversing with apes.

Okay, not really, but you get the idea.

At the Forest Adventure’s Grand Course, you get to trample through the forest 5m above the ground using ladders, bridges, swings, nets, and trapezes, all while enjoying Bedok Reservoir Park’s scenic view.

The Grand Course, which is divided into four sections, also includes four flying foxes (and by that, we mean zip lines, not foxes with wings) the longest of which is 176m – perfect for getting the tousled hair effect that your date won’t be able to resist.

Although you’ll not be supervised (thereby giving you lovebirds plenty of alone time!), safety is assured. Every participant will be equipped with a safety harness to prevent accidents.

If you’re between 18 and 21, just make sure you get the disclaimer form (available at www.forestadventure.com.sg) signed by your parents before embarking on your forest adventure date.

Forest Adventure is located at Bedok Reservoir Park, Bedok Reservoir Road, and is open everyday from 10am to 6pm.

Admission into the Grand Course is priced at $25 for students and $28 for adults. (back to top)

G-Max
Adrenaline junkies, your prayers have been answered.

If you’re bored of the same old dinner-and movie kind of date, just take a stroll along the Singapore River and you’ll find what you’ve been looking for.

G-Max, “the ultimate bungee experience”, offers a date opportunity that will satisfy your need for thrills and will give you something to talk about every time you experience an awkward moment of silence.

And it’s simple, really. You don’t even have to plan the date. All you have to do is sit in a capsule and get catapulted 60m into the air at the speed of 200km per hour. What’s more, the ride has a 100 percent safety record so you don’t really have much to worry about.

But in the event that you do get scared, you have the perfect excuse to hold your date’s hand.

We say the ride is memorable as it is, but if you want something more to remember it by, simply purchase a DVD recording of your time spent on the ride for $15.

We guarantee that you’ll have lots of fun visiting this experience together again in the future.

G-Max is located along the Singapore River, Clarke Quay, and is open from 1pm to 1am on Mondays to Thursdays, 1pm to 2am on Fridays, 12pm to 2am on Saturdays and 12pm to 1am on Sundays. A single ride costs $30 for students and $45 for adults. (back to top)

Marina Barrage
For those who believe that dates should be all fun and no brains, here’s where we prove you wrong.

At the Marina Barrage, which opened last November and houses Marina Reservoir, Singapore’s first reservoir in the city, you’ll learn to appreciate that precious resource we call water.

Show off your learned side to your date by taking him (or her, depending on where you bend) to the Sustainable Singapore Gallery, which aims to educate the public on environmental and water issues.

Once you’ve used up enough brain juice for the day, surprise your date with a picnic at the Green Roof, which lowers the barrage’s indoor temperature, meaning that less energy is needed for air-conditioning.

Or you could take a stroll along the Marina Bridge or chill out at one of eight viewing decks that promise a panoramic view of Marina Reservoir and Singapore’s cityscape.

Who knew learning could be so romantic?

The Marina Barrage is located at 260 Marina Way, and is open daily. The Sustainable Singapore Gallery is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9am to 6pm, and 10am to 8pm on weekends and public holidays. Admission is free. (back to top)

What You Need to Bring

• A Partner
• Swimsuit
• Extra set of dry clothes
• Sunblock lotion (you don’t want to get burnt under the sun)
• Mosquito spray (you don’t want to risk getting kissed by the mosquitoes!)

Just like how Greece will always be remembered for holding the first Olympics games, Singapore will now have a place in the history books for being the first to host the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

(Read more)

Nike opened its flagship store in Wisma Atria on Nov 28.

The store is modelled after a sports stadium, with metal racks resembling hurdles. The store is also shaped like an oval; the center of the store is padded with the same material on our running tracks.

Stanley Goh, Country Director of Nike Singapore said in a press release that they “aim to transform this store into more than just a premium retail destination. It will be a venue where sporting enthusiasts connect and the passion of sports comes alive.”

The store was launched together with their Metallic Windrunners series.

Another interesting thing to note is the NIKEiD STUDIO where customers are able to put together their own Nike teeshirt by choosing their own colours, graphics and application treatments.