1.
MS SPECTATORS IN MARUDI TOWN (TILT UP) DECORATED SHOPS
0.07

2.
MS WELCOME SIGN
0.12

3.
MLS (PAN) MOTOR LAUNCHES WHICH BROUGHT SPECTATORS
0.22

4.
MS DECORATED LAUNCHES
0.27

5.
LS PARTICIPANTS IN RACING BOATS (TWO SHOTS)
0.36

6.
LS (PAN) CROWDED RIVER BANK
0.39

7.
MS AMERICAN PEACE CORPS TEAM ARRIVE IN RACING BOAT
0.43

8.
LS CROWD ON COASTAL SHIP
0.46

9.
CU CANNON BOOMS -- REGATTA GETS UNDERWAY
0.48

10.
LS BOAT RACE BEGINS
0.54

11.
TRACK SHOT PEOPLE ON RIVER BANK
0.56

12.
MLS RACE IN PROGRESS
1.02

13.
MCU (PAN) DAYAK CHIEF TO NINGKAN, TUN RAZAK AND JUGAH
1.12

14.
MLS BOATS TOWARDS FINISHING LINE (TWO SHOTS)
1.25

15.
MLS SPECTATORS
1.28

16.
LS START OF ANOTHER RACE
1.34

17.
LS TRACK SHOT OF RIVER BANK
1.37

18.
MS WOMEN COMPETING IN RACE (THREE SHOTS)
1.51

19.
MS SPECTATORS ON DECK OF COASTAL SHIP
1.54

20.
MS MORE SPECTATORS ON RIVER BANK
1.56

21.
LS ANOTHER RACE
2.01

22.
MS NINGKAN, TUH RAZAK AND JUGAH
2.03

23.
MLS RACE IN PROGRESS
2.09

24.
MS MOTOR LAUNCH RESCUES BRITISH COMPETITORS IN RIVER
2.13

25.
LS END OF RACE
2.19



Initials CAR/VS/MK/YA/CHM


SPORT: BOAT RACING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE SMALL TOWN OF MARUDI, IN SARAWAK'S FOURTH DIVISION, WAS THE SCENE OF AN INTERNATIONAL GATHERING LAST WEEKEND. THOUSANDS OF CENTRAL BORNEO TRIBESMEN, AS WELL AS CHINESE, MALAY AND EUROPEAN IN HABITANTS CONVERGED ON THE TOWN, SITUATED SOME 350 MILES NORTH-EAST OF KUCHING. THE REASON FOR THEIR VISIT WAS TO WITNESS ONE OF THE MOST COLOURFUL AND SPECTACULAR EVENTS OF THE YEAR -- THE BARAM RIVER REGATTA.

SINCE THE FIRST BARAM REGATTA WAS HELD 70 YEARS AGO -- IN THE DAYS OF BROOKE RUE IN BORNEO -- THE BIENNIAL EVENT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST IN THE CALENDAR FOR THE SCATTERED KELABIT, KENYAH, AND IBAN LONGHOUSE DWELLERS OF CENTRAL BORNEO.

THE REGATTA, HELD ON MAY 14 AND 15, BROUGHT EXCITEMENT TO MARUDI. THE SPECTATORS TRAVELLED IN MOTOR LAUNCHES WHICH TOOK ONE DAY'S OUTBOARD JOURNEY FROM THE REMOTE AREAS ALONG THE BARAM RIVER.

THE BARAM RIVER IS THE SECOND LONGEST RIVER IN SARAWAK. THROUGHOUT THE AGES, IT HAS BEEN THE GREAT HIGHWAY WHEREBY VARIOUS RACES HAVE ENTERED SARAWAK. THE NAME BARAM MEANS 'JUICE OF THE PINEAPPLE.'
THE BOOM OF A CANNON, USED IN THE DAYS OF THE WHITE RAJAH OR BROOKE RUE, MARKED THE OPENING OF THE REGATTA. PRESENT WERE SARAWAK'S CHIEF MINISTER, MR. STEPHEN KALONG NINGKAN, THE VISITING DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA, TUN ABDUL RAZAK AND THE MINISTER OF SARAWAK AFFAIRS, TEMMENGONG JUGAH.

THE CENTRE OF ATTRACTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE FIERCELY CONTESTED BOAT RACES -- EACH BOAT BELONGING TO A PARTICULAR LONG HOUSE OR TRIBE. THE BOATS ARE FASHIONED FROM A SINGLE DUG-OUT TREE AND USUALLY CREWED BY ABOUT 60 PAINTED OARSMEN CLAD IN LOIN CLOTHS.

LAST WEEK'S REGATTA CONSISTED OF 30 RACES, HIGHLIGHTED BY CHALLENGE EVENTS BETWEEN TRIBAL HEADMEN AND EUROPEAN INHABITANTS OF THE REGION, INCLUDING A TEAM OF AMERICAN PEACE CORPS AND ONE FROM BRITAIN.

THE WOMEN, TOO, COMPETED IN THE RACES, WHICH WERE MARRED BY ONE SPILL -- AN ENTRY FROM BRITAIN. THEY WERE QUICKLY RESCUED FROM THE SWIFT-FLOWING WATER BY A MOTOR LAUNCH.