Miri jetski riders yearn to compete on Sarawak waters
MIRI: The Miri Jetski Team is hoping that the State Tourism Ministry help to organise a race which can attract participants from Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand and other parts of Malaysia to excite extreme sports fans here while further promoting watersports tourism.
Its team manager Ambrose Tan said there is no such race in Sarawak and local jetski riders have to compete by going overseas to Brunei or Thailand.
“Miri Jetski Team will support the race if the ministry can organise one here in Sarawak thus bringing in more international jetski riders to the state, “Ambrose told The Borneo Post yesterday at Marina Bay Miri during their training and group cruise to Tusan beach.
Also present was veteran rider- cum- Jetski chief mechanic Rosli Bagat who has taken part in international competitions in Thai land, Brunei and in Malaysia.
According to Ambrose, the Miri Jetski Team led by its president Stephen Jolly started the sport in Miri during the 1980s.
There are currently about 40 jetski riders in Miri. If there is any race in Brunei, he said, they will go as a convoy from the Miri river mouth to Muara Bay in Brunei.
On weekends if there is no race, they will go to Luak Esplanade, Tusan , Pel iau or Bungai beaches.
The team has taken part in the Brunei series and the next race will be in Sept.
“Marina Bay is the ground for us to train and prepare for any upcoming events in Brunei and Thailand, “Ambrose said though they have gone further to Niah cruising the Niah river.
Their yearly activities include cruising from Miri to Labuan, Miri to Kota Kinabalu and Miri to Brunei.
“End of the year during the rough seas, we will cruise to Mulu to maintain the stamina of the riders,” he revealed.