DBS Bank celebrates SG50 with 28th SEA Games
Singapore’s biggest water sports festival, the DBS Marina Regatta 2015 will be held in conjunction with SEA Games. DBS Marina Regatta’s open and women races will be held on 30 and 31 May while the mixed races will be held on the same weekend as the SEA Games’ dragon boat races in early June. The dragon boat races for SEA Games will comprise 12-crew and 6-crew men and women categories. The 6-crew boats will be making their worldwide debut while the national dragon boat teams expected to compete include Indonesia, the reigning Asian Games champion, making the Games a must-watch for everyone, on the beautiful waters of Marina Bay.
Next year’s DBS Marina Regatta will deliver two exciting weekends filled with celebratory activities for Singaporeans and visitors including dragon boat races, music acts, Cosplay festival, and a grand finale. Cash prizes for the dragon races will be increased from SGD195,000 to SGD215,000 – one of the highest cash prizes for the sport. The number of race participants is expected to increase to more than 3,800.
To promote local sporting talent, the annual National Inter-Schools’ Dragon Boat Championship, which is open to all secondary schools and junior colleges, will also be held at the Marina Bay in conjunction with DBS Marina Regatta for the first time.
The SEA Games’ sailing races will be held at Marina Bay and the National Sailing Centre from early June.
Other community initiatives planned include getting pioneers and selected community groups to witness the SEA Games opening and closing ceremonies and rallying DBS employees to make 28th SEA Games mascots (Nila) for the dragon boating and sailing medalists. Limited edition DBS Marina Regatta merchandise celebrating the spirit of the SEA Games is also in the works.
Mr Sim S Lim, Singapore Country Head, DBS Bank said, “We are honoured to be an Official Sponsor of the SEA Games and to celebrate our nation’s 50th birthday by rallying the community together to enjoy the SEA Games. We are also excited about bringing a bigger DBS Marina Regatta, as part of our efforts to bring the Bay to the people, and the people to the Bay. In addition to the exhilarating dragon boat races, a host of exciting activities will be lined up for everyone to celebrate this momentous occasion."
DBS Bank is exemplary of what the Singapore Southeast Asian Games Organising Committee (SINGSOC) hopes to achieve through the Games – to have corporates take the initiative to adopt a sport, and co-create a Games that they can be proud of.
Mr Lim Teck Yin, Chairman, Executive Committee of SINGSOC said, “This announcement comes at 200 days to the Games, and the sport of dragon boating has been closely associated with DBS. Through the annual DBS Marina Regatta, DBS and the SDBA set the standard in organising a water sport event which incorporates a festival of community activities together with the competitive spirit of a sport. We are excited to work together with them to bring an extraordinary game to all spectators and competitors in front of Singapore’s iconic skyline at Marina Bay. Through this partnership, it reinforces SINGSOC’s efforts to foster ownership amongst Corporate Singapore and more importantly, to build a legacy beyond the Games.”
Dr Chia Shi-Lu, President of the SDBA said, “Since its inception, the DBS Marina Regatta has become ‘the marquee’ dragon boating race in Asia, attracting international participants from elite national athletes to corporate teams and sports club members. We are very honoured to work with DBS and SINGSOC and this is a truly unique opportunity to deliver two world-class events in one venue. DBS Marina Regatta participants will get to share the same battleground as SEA Games competitors and be right in the thick of action.”
In conjunction with SG50, the bank established a SGD 50 million foundation to address social needs in Singapore and across Asia in February this year. As the former Development Bank of Singapore, DBS has had a rich heritage of helping the development of modern Singapore. With POSB being the “People’s Bank”, the bank also sees itself as being an integral member of the community, serving more than four million customers in Singapore. Having progressed over the years with the nation, the bank believes that the foundation will enable it to further contribute to the success of Singapore.
APPENDIX
DBS Marina Regatta 2015 | ||
1. DBS SG Premier Open | 2. DBS SG Premier Women | 3. DBS SG Premier Mixed*new |
4. DBS Tertiary Open | 5. DBS Tertiary Women | 6. DBS Tertiary Mixed*new |
7. DBS Corporate Open | 8. DBS Corporate Women | 9. DBS Corporate Mixed*new |
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About the 28th SEA Games
The 28th SEA Games will be held from 5 -16 June 2015, with Singapore Sports Hub as the main venue for the Games. Organised by the Singapore Southeast Asian Games Organising Committee (SINGSOC), the Games is held in conjunction with Singapore’s 50th anniversary and will host more than 7,000 athletes and officials from 36 sports. Adopting the theme of Celebrate the Extraordinary, the Games will celebrate triumph of human spirit - be it in sports or daily lives; in success or in the grit to try again and again; in winning or in merely being at the start line. The 28th SEA Games will show the people of the Southeast Asia that success ultimately comes to ordinary people with extraordinary dreams. It’s not about having a champion, but inspiring the champion that is inside each of us.
About DBS
DBS - Living, Breathing Asia
DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia, with over 250 branches across 17 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS has a growing presence in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank's capital position, as well as "AA-" and "Aa1" credit ratings, is among the highest in Asia-Pacific. DBS has been recognised for its leadership in the region, having been named “Asia’s Best Bank” by The Banker, a member of the Financial Times group, and “Best Bank in Asia-Pacific” by Global Finance. The bank has also been named “Safest Bank in Asia” by Global Finance for six consecutive years from 2009 to 2014.
DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking activities across Asia. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. These market insights and regional connectivity have helped to drive the bank’s growth as it sets out to be the Asian bank of choice. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, and positively impacting communities through supporting social enterprises, as it banks the Asian way. It has also established a SGD 50 million foundation to strengthen its corporate social responsibility efforts in Singapore and across Asia.
With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. The bank acknowledges the passion, commitment and can-do spirit in all of our 21,000 staff, representing over 30 nationalities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com