Number 5# The Team Jerseys
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| How you wish your jersey was on her.. |
Whether you come from a Community Service Club or a Tertiary team you're bound to have at least 2 of these in your wardrobe. For those who have been paddling longer, these keep on piling up faster than you can throw away. Every piece of a singlet is sentimental; from your first race in a dragon boat, your first win in a plate final, the first time you broke your paddle in a race, the first time you met this hot guy/chick and you finally got his/her number and the list goes on. The best part is you will not use them ever again in another race, unless of course your team is on a budget. Nothing in the world will allow you to throw them away. Not even your mother nagging at you during the annual Chinese New Year or Hari Raya spring cleaning.
Number 4# The Protein Shake
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| Look how happy he is with his shake.. |
You will have it after training. You will have it before training. Hell, you will even have it even when you're on Facebook. You would rather stock more of this up rather than change your underwear with holes a mouse can fit in. Such is the ubiquitous shake, that the paddler goes to length to make sure that he has enough of it. Even when he only trains once a week.
Number 3# The Tights
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| 4th Generation Dragon boating tights. coming soon.. |
When I started paddling 8 years ago, all we ever had were shorts that caused abrasions when we paddled for long sets. Through the years, tights gained so much popularity, that it helped paddlers paddle even longer! They come in all sizes and colours. But the best ones that I appreciate up till today are the ones that women wear. Sadly, once the domain of women, men have caught on to the trend of wearing tights to prove to the world how much more macho dragon boat can be. Oh the irony..
Number 2# OAKLEYS
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| If this dog looks cool, you should buy Oaks too! |
It doesn't matter if you're short or tall, skinny or fat, ugly or pretty. BUT once you wear the OAKs (short form for Oakleys) you become the SUPER rower, who has paddled for over 10 years. Recommending another brand to a Oakley loyalist will be like asking an Apple fan to trade in for a Android. Nothing else comes close. Because nothing else comes close to its price tag. $400 shades better than $100 shades right?
Number 1# THE CARBON FIBRE PADDLE
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| I think he needs a carbon fibre paddle |
How can anyone deny the true blue paddler who swaggers in town with the swift looking carbon fibre paddle in his hand. Whether he swings it like a sword or uses it as a support stand in the MRT, it makes the Singaporean paddler as authentic as ever, not forgetting with a pair of oaks locked against his forehead. En housed in a camouflage carrying case, it looks as good as a weapon to kill. With the weapon slung upon his back, he looks so badass, you'll forgive anyone who thinks its a fishing rod. It turns the amateur into the professional, even with only a month of weekend paddling experience in hand. No one can say this guy is a loser. Because he bought it at a relatively low price of $300. All this finesse, while the Filipino paddlers burn away his team at the races with a wooden paddle. Oh the irony..
Well, that's a tongue in cheek look into our dragon boat scene in Singapore! As everyone is very well aware, we Singaporeans do have our take on what we do and things we have as a dragon boat enthusiast. If you have any more to add or disagree with me, do post up a comment! Till the next post!
