KUCHING: The ‘Puteri Dang Balai Yayasan Sarawak 5’ team has reclaimed the coveted ‘Raja Sungai’ (King of the River) crown in Sarawak Regatta 2022 after overtaking the ‘DBKU Pantai Damai GP Binladen 4’ team right at the finishing line here yesterday.

The rowers from Yayasan Sarawak beat the team from DBKU and ‘Udak’ team in the Raja Sungai 30 Men Paddlers category, earning themselves not only the ‘Raja Sungai’ title but also the ‘TYT Trophy’ and RM20,000 cash award.

Meanwhile, the ‘DBKU Pantai Damai GP Binladen 4’ team settled for first runner-up trophy and RM10,000.

In third was ‘Udak’ team, who finished second in the Sarawak Regatta 2019, and this time they brought home RM8,000 and a trophy.

It was a nail-biting race along Sungai Sarawak with the finish line just right in front of the Musical Fountain at the Kuching Waterfront here yesterday with more than 5,000 fans filling the Waterfront to witness the action.

The presentation of the trophies and cash prizes was done by the Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah deputising for Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

The representative who collected the winning trophy and cash prize for the ‘Puteri Dang Balai Yayasan Sarawak 5’ team was Yayasan Sarawak director Mersal Abang Rosli, while the representative for the ‘DBKU Pantai Damai GP Binladen 4’ and ‘Udak’ team were Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi and Afiq Brahim respectively.

The ‘Puteri Dang Balai Yayasan Sarawak 5’ team celebrating at Kuching Waterfront with the trophy held high in the air