Over 5,000 visitors expected at ‘Pesta Similajau 2018’
BINTULU: ‘Pesta Similajau 2018’ to be held at Similajau National Park here on Nov 2 – 3 is expected to attract over 5,000 visitors.
Many interesting activities and challenges have been planned for the participants and visitors.
Bintulu Resident Jack Aman Luat told a press conference at the Resident’s Office yesterday said the major event would be the Similajau Nature Challenge ( beach and trail run).
“We expect about 260 participants, who will have to run along trail, and beaches, and cross a waterfall over a small stream.”
He said the event would be divided into three categories, namely, team, single (senior) and single ( junior).
The team category would involve two men or a man and a woman running 19.5km (from the park hq-main trail-Batu Anchau-Turtle beach 2-main trail-Park hq). The fee is RM50 per team.
The single ( senior) category is open to men and women aged 31 and above, running 7.5km. The fee is RM20 per person. The single ( junior) category is open to those aged 30 years and below, for a distance of 7.5km. The fee is RM20 per person.
The race, to start at 7.30am on Nov 3, would be flagged off by Samalaju assemblyman Majang Renggi. Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing will give away the prizes about noon of the same day.
The prizes are RM12,000 for the eight places in the main category, and RM11,440 for the single (senior and junior ) category.
Champion in the team category would receive RM4,000 while second to eight places would get RM3,000, RM2,000, RM1,000, RM800, RM600, RM400 and RM200 respectively.
Champion in the single (senior and junior) category would receive RM700, followed by RM600 and RM500 for second and third winners respectively. Fourth to eighth places would receive RM400, RM300, RM200, RM100 and RM60 respectively.
Jack said other side activities would be the tug- of-war for men and women categories.
For the men category, there would be eight persons in a team with a combined weight of not more than 640kg. The same number of participants applies to the women category, with a combined weight of not more than 560kg.
The champion in each category will receive RM2,000, while second, third and fourth placed winners would receive RM1,000, RM800 and RM600 respectively.
Another side event is Wall Climbing for men and women.
It’s an individual event, and the winners are determined by their speed in completing the obstacle. The participants must be 18 years old and above.
The prizes are RM300, RM200, RM100, RM80, RM60 and RM20 respectively for the first seven winners.
Blow-pipe competition for men, women and double, is an new item introduced this year.
The distance is: Men’s pro (27m), semi pro (23m) and amateur (15m). For women’s pro, semi pro and amateur, the distance is 18m, 15m and 10m respectively.
For men’s doubles pro, the distance is 27m, semi pro doubles ( 23m). for the women’s pro and semi pro doubles the distance is 18m and 15m respectively.
There is also a mass aerobic exercise open to the public and 10 lucky draw prizes totalling RM2,700 will be given away.
Majang said the objective of the event is to promote Similajau National Park as among the most preferred and popular nature adventure sport and recreation tourism destination in Sarawak.
“We also want to encourage more local participation in nature adventure sports activities as part of their healthy and active lifestyle, and encourage the multiethnic people to mingle and get to know each other.
He also hoped that it would be included in Sarawak’s calendar of nature adventurebased sport tourism event, and make Bintulu particularly Similajau National Park known to the world.
The closing date for registration of the competitions is Oct 26.
Call Jacqualine Richard Lee and Kederi Yusof at the Ministry of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture Youth and Sports Bintulu, at 086-254072 for more information.
The event is jointly organised by Bintulu Resident’s Office and Divisional Tourism Task Group Bintulu in collaboration with Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Bintulu Division, Sarawak Forestry Corporation (Similajau National Park) and Bintulu District Office.