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Sea Games

Forget fireworks. In the past, the Singapore new year was celebrated with boat races

Published Thu, Jan 3, 2019 · 09:50 PM
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Until around the 1960s, thousands of people would throng Clifford Pier, trying to watch the New Year Sea Sports event on the first day of the year.

The annual regatta was organised into two separate European and local leagues, and involved a string of races between different types of boats. They include the traditional "koleh" boat, whose sails were shaped like a nacho chip, the sampan, yacht, canoe, and "tub boat". The "tub boat" was a barrel that floated in water, large enough for a grown adult to sit in it while he paddled. In photos, competitors look l…

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