Random fact #29945

The 2003 Singapore Dragon Boat Festival was originally called off due to SARS. It was later reinstated last minute. So instead of being held at the usual Marina Promanade, this time it was at Kallang Basin. And rather than the usual 800m, all races were pegged at 1km. Only Opens events were held, so for the first time, there was no IVP honours up for grabs.

The race course started from the duck tours launching point and ended near the shoreline of SDBA. Which meant that the boats had to do an "emergency brake" upon crossing the chequered bouy in case they go crashing in the wall.

The men's PM cup went on as usual that year. NTU put up a superb fight beating our guys by a boat length, and might I say the largest win ever in PM cup history. And so began another 3 year cycle*.

*the PM cup cycle lasts 3 years. Whichever team is able to win it 3 years in a row gets to keep the trophy. Till then, it'd just be a game of passing it around.