Asahan rafting competition

Asahan rafting competition

With regard to the articles published on the Asahan
International Whitewater Festival on Nov. 9 and Nov. 13, I wish
to thank personally The Jakarta Post for featuring this event. It
is indeed truly an international event that deserves attention,
especially as it still managed to persuade the big names of the
sport to travel to Indonesia to compete, with the world situation
being what it is.

However, there were some facts that were incorrect and needed
clarifying, as follows:
1. Simon Pramono was not the event organizer but the media
distribution coordinator. The event was organized by the regional
government of Asahan in conjunction with Suma Terra Holidays and
North Sumatra's Chapter of the Indonesia Rafting Federation
(FAJI).
2. Asahan Whitewater Festival is not a rafting event but a
Whitewater Festival, combining whitewater kayaking and rafting
races, which are two different disciplines. There were two
international teams for the rafting competition (Malaysia and
Japan), while there were seven nations whose top athletes
participated in the kayaking event (England, Norway, France, New
Zealand, South Africa, Malaysia and Indonesia).
3. Mike Abbott is not a rafter but a kayaker, who finished third
in the head-to-head and rodeo (not second) and is from New
Zealand, not Australia, just as Jared Meehan (second in the head-
to-head) and Mark Eames (second in the rodeo) are from New
Zealand as well.
4. The Asahan river does not have grade 5.8 difficulty, but is a
grade V river. Only one of the rapids can be considered as 5.8.
5. The rodeo is not about waterfalls and rocks but displaying
freestyle skills in a wave, a bit like surfing while sitting
inside a 15kg plastic boat, with the help of a double-blade
paddle to throw figures.

JHONY H SIHOTANG

Secretary Asahan Whitewater Festival 2001

Bappeda Asahan

North Sumatra