CANADA HILL, THE PETROLEUM MUSEUM AND OIL WELL NO.1

Canada Hill is a limestone ridge overlooking the town and offering excellent views of Miri and the surrounding area. Oil Well No.1, known as the "grand old lady", is situated on top of Canada Hill. The well has an important place in Miri's history, as it was here that oil was first struck by Sarawak shell in 1910. Nowadays the site also houses a very well designed and interesting Petroleum Museum(open daily, 9am-5 pm, admission free), which traces the history and technological development of the oil and gas industries in Malaysia take a taxi (RM7).

No stopping Pusaka Dua paddlers in Sarawak River

King of the Sarawak River ... PUSAKA DUA team receiving their coveted trophy from the chairman of the organising committee, Rodziah Haji Morshidi who is also the Resident of Kuching Division at the podium near the mainstage of the Kuching Waterfront. By Jeremy Veno KUCHING: Pusaka Dua emerged the King of the Sarawak River when their team who led the pack for the majority of the races finished the race in style yesterday in the finals of the 30 paddlers men's (King of the River) category. The most anticipated Sarawak Regatta was flagged off by the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, His Highness Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah together with Tuan Yang Terutama Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak, Tun Datuk Patinggi Haji Muhammad Salahuddin and accompanied by his wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Hajah Norkiah and the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud and wife, Datuk Amar Puan Sri Dr Hajjah Laila Taib on the "Datu" boat at the starting point near the Petanak area.Under their manager Hashim Haji Bojet, the team with much persistance and willpower managed to overcome the 'never-say-die' Landas 3 and Landas 9 teams who closed in second and third placings respectively.The third day of the Regatta saw most of the finals which can be considered as D-Day for champions in each category who will etch their names in the history book of the long Sarawak Regatta tradition for generations to come.Although the second day of the event faced a hiccup due to a heavy downpour on Saturday afternoon, the spirits of the paddlers, spaectators and all those involved in the success of the event was not dampened by the rain.The Sarawak Regatta this year saw a total of 321 teams with a total of 6,259 participants giving their dire best to vie for the promising cash prizes.This year also saw the prize list until the fifth placing for the 15 categories, including the seven paddlers (men), 10 paddlers (women), 15 paddlers mix (8 men + 7 women), 15 paddlers (men), 20 paddlers (men), 30 paddlers men (trophy TYT Yang Di-pertua Negeri), 20 paddlers Inter-Division (men), 30 paddlers VIP (men), 30 paddlers hotels and tour agencies (25 men + 5 women), 20 paddlers International (Open), 15 paddlers tourist, Perahu Tambang, Kayak, Jet Ski Open Below 800cc and Jet Ski Open Class Unlimited.New categories also made their debut this year, including the 20 paddlers Inter-State, 20 paddlers Inter-Varsity, 20 paddlers government and corporate agencies (men) and 30 paddlers VIP special.Traditional games were also held alongside the river bank where events such as the "Meniti Sulong", duck catching, pillow fight and boating tug-of-war was held everyday, drawing crowds by the thousands to the Kuching Waterfront.Stalls doing soft selling were also set up along the stretch of the Waterfront and the Main Bazaar roadside where several stalls in the vicinity can be seen selling drinks, food, clothing, handicrafts and traditional cakes for the Regatta spectators and tourists.The Sarawak Regatta committee todate had collected a total of RM685,000 and grants from various sponsors.Grants received for the Sarawak Regatta 2008 summed up to a total of RM370,000 coming from the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia and Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism Malaysia where Minister, Dato' Sri Wong Soon Koh was also the chairman of the Sarawak Regatta Permanant Committee.Also among the sponsors were Shell Berhad, Petronas Malaysia Berhad, Telekom Malaysia, Ta Ann Holding Sdn Bhd, Global Upline Sdn Bhd, Murphy Sarawak Oil and Cahya Mata Sarawak Sdn Bhd. Sponsorships included apparels for committee members from STIDC and in kind from Telekom Malaysia, Water Genesis and Nestle. Eastern times

Pasukan Satu is champion for the Sarawak Regatta

The winners of the International Open catagory posing with their prizes with team “Pasukan Satu” represented by Roshidi (centre) and Said (1st right) and Rodziah Haji Morshidi (1st left), Resident of Kuching Division and Chairman of the organising committee. By Jeremy Veno KUCHING: Team “Pasukan Satu” from Brunei Darussalam emerged the champion in the International (Open) category when twenty of their paddlers fuelled with willpower crossed the finish line of the choppy Sarawak river due to the heavy downpour.It is their second win in the tenth year of participation in the Sarawak Regatta under the leadership of the team manager Roshidi Abdul Latif. He was relieved as they had been battling neck to neck with the other teams till the finishing line.“I am very happy for the win, we have been training very hard for the past six months,” he said jubilantly after the prize giving ceremony by Said Dolah, the Director of Ta Ann Holding Sdn Bhd. Coming under the “Persatuan Lumba Perahu Kebangsaan Brunei Darussalam”, Roshidi stated that this is the second time they had emerged the champion after their first in 1998.Second place was Lams from Indonesia and third was Todak Murphy from Sarawak, the fourth placing however went to Pusaka Satu and fifth placing was also another team from Lams Murphy.In other final which is the women kayak singles, Hazalina Wati from PERKESA emerged the champion while second place went to Ester Pius from UNIMAS, third place however went to Noraida Abdul Kassim also from PERKESA.In the Jet Ski open class below 800cc finals, Lukman Budin from Brunei Darussalam won the champion, while second place went to Bahar Zainuddin also from Brunei, the third place however went to Zainuddin Dino from Kuala Lumpur. The Open Class Unlimited category however was an all-Mirian affair when all the top three positions were won by their riders.First place was won by Mohd Shafiee, second placing went to Mohd Hidair and third placing went to Louis Ling.New categories also made its debut this year which includes the 20 paddlers Inter State, 20 paddlers Inter Varsity, 20 paddlers government and corporate agencies (men) and 30paddlers VIP special. REGATTA RESULTS Open Class Below 800cc -Finals 1.Lukman Budin - Brunei 2.Bahar Zainuddin - Brunei 3.Zainuddin Dino - Kuala Lumpur Open Class Unlimited -Finals 1.Mohd Shafiee - Miri 2.Mohd Hidair - Miri 3.Louis Ling - Miri 20 paddlers Men Government and Corporate Agencies -Finals 1.PUSAKA satu 2.Tekasa Abok Sekalai Foundation 15 Tourist paddlers -Finals 1.Team “Waktu A” - Brunei 2.Istana Sambas 2 3.Istana Sambas 1 20 paddlers men -Preliminary C 1.Landas 20 2.PUSAKA 2 3.Landas 22 20 paddlers men -Preliminary D 1.KOPUSAKA 2 2.Landas 24 3.Dayang Puteri Layang Layang Men Double Kayak -2nd Preliminary 1.Hardi Suntol/ Ronny Friday -UNIMAS 2.Mohd Azri Jaludin/Harol Mamat -UNIMAS 3.Mohd Khairul Jawan/Omar Alias Mazlan -PERKESA 15 paddlers men -Preliminary C 1.Landas 30 2.PUSAKA 2 3.SHOZEE 15 paddlers men -Preliminary D 1.KOPERKASA 2 2.Bujang Malaysia Abuk Sekalai Foundation 3.Cahaya Intan III Mixed Kayak Doubles -Preliminary 2 1.Jury Amrullah Ibrahim/Hazalina Wati Oman -PERKASA 2.Harold Mamat / Elsie Theresna-UNIMAS 3.Hardy Sutol / Ester Pius - UNIMAS 7 paddlers men -Preliminary C 1.Keris Terbang 2.Dayang Puteri Layang Layang 3.Brooke Dockyard 7 paddlers men -Preliminary D 1.Seri Sarawak 7 2.Keris Terbang 4 3.Puteri Berkaya Women Single Kayak -Finals 1.Hazalina Wati -PERKESA 2.Ester Pius -UNIMAS 3.Noraida Abdul Kassim -PERKESA 20 paddlers International (Open) -Finals 1. Pasukan Satu -Brunei 2.Lams Indonesia 3.Todak Murphy Women Doubles Kayak -Preliminary 1 1.Hazalina Osman/ Noraida Abd Kassim -PERKESA 2.Chong Min Yen/ Nor Juliana Rabee -PERKESA 3.Floria Lumat/Shirley -UNIMAS Women Doubles Kayak -Preliminary 2 1.Nangku Ngedang -UNIMAS 2.Nasyitah Ahmad/ Elsie Theresna -UNIMAS 3.Siti Asmah Mos/ Syazanah Sahari -UNIMAS