Kota Kinabalu: The Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah’s (FCAS) 11th Sabah International Dragon Boat Race 2026 will return to Likas Bay here from May 15 to 17, promising heightened international competition with a total prize pool of RM95,000.
The championship will feature 10 race categories and is expected to draw increased participation from both local and overseas teams.
FCAS President Tan Sri T C Goh said preparations are currently in full swing, with Datuk Susan Wong once again appointed as Organising Committee Chairman and Datuk Kapitan Fung Chun Fatt as Deputy Chairman.
“Last year’s event attracted 142 teams, including participants from Hong Kong, Singapore and Brunei. This year, we anticipate even stronger international participation,” he said in a statement Thursday.
Susan, meanwhile, said Head of State Tun Musa Aman will be invited to officiate the opening ceremony and present prizes.
She added that Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, along with State Cabinet members and elected representatives, is also expected to attend.
According to her, the championship has grown into one of Sabah’s most prestigious international sporting events, serving as a platform for interaction among dragon boat teams from various countries while boosting the State’s tourism and sports sectors.
Online registration is now open via QR code scanning and will close on April 30. Participation is capped at 32 teams per category on a first-come, first-served basis.
Fung said all 10 categories will offer cash prizes and medals to winners, with top prizes ranging from RM3,000 to RM10,000 depending on the category.
The premier event, the Sabah Head of State Trophy (800m) for international and Malaysian men, carries a champion’s prize of RM10,000, followed by RM5,000 for the first runner-up and RM3,000 for the second runner-up.
Other key categories include the Sabah Chief Minister’s Trophy (800m), FCAS Dragon Trophy (800m mixed) and several Kinabalu Trophy events across 200m and 800m distances covering men, women, mixed, youth and veteran divisions.
Teams are encouraged to register early to secure their slots, with training sessions scheduled to begin on March 26 at Tanjung Aru Kinabalu Yacht Club upon confirmation.
The programme will kick off on May 15 with training sessions, a team managers’ briefing and lane draw, followed by a beach party at 5pm to welcome participants.
On May 16, events begin with a team oath-taking ceremony at 6.30am, followed by preliminary races across all categories.
The same day will also feature the 5th FCAS Youth Dragon Run in the afternoon.
The highlight of the championship on May 17 will be the official opening ceremony officiated by Musa, followed by symbolic ceremonial activities and prize presentation, marking the conclusion of the three-day international event.
