Dragon-boat team cuts tour short

Dragon-boat team cuts tour short

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian dragon boat team, whose winning
streak was extended after a victory in the Singapore World
Invitational Dragon Boat '94 championship over the weekend, were
forced to cut their international tour short due to insufficient
funds.

Setiawan, the team official, told newsmen here yesterday that
the rowers were barred from participating in the Dragon Boat
Festival in Hong Kong and the Asian Dragon Boat Tournament in
China next week.

The Hong Kong race is scheduled for June 19 while the Chinese
race is set for one week after.

"We are forced to return because the Indonesian Rowing and
Boating Association (PODSI) does not have sufficient funds," he
said.

At the same occasion Soetono Goenadi, a PODSI official, stated
regretfully that "this will be the first time that Indonesia will
be absent from the Hong Kong competition since 1985."

"It's a shame that our country, one of the first promoters of
this event, must withdraw simply because of financial
constraints," he added in a stoic voice.

The officials are understandably bitter about the financial
requirements, especially since Indonesia is the undisputed
regional leaders in the sport.

The same factor had also prevented the country's kayak and
canoe rowers from partaking a three-week tour of the Netherlands.
(hdj)