SEA Games Waterski & Wakeboard: Singapore win 1 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze

Palembang, Friday, November 18, 2011 — Singapore’s waterski and wakeboard contingent have won six medals at the South-East Asian (SEA) Games. Sasha Christian with one gold, one silver and one bronze; Kalya Lee with one silver; Matthew Christian with a bronze, have done their part to add to Singapore’s overall medal tally. This is the first time that wakeboarding is featuring at the SEA Games.

Sasha Christian won the bronze in the individual overall category, scoring 1024.14 points. The event was won by Malaysia’s Philippa Yoong (2499.79) while Girit Endhar (1916.92) grabbed silver.

Jerald Foo finished fifth and last with a score of 333.80 in the men’s individual overall category.

In the wakeboard mixed team event, Singapore won a silver with a score of 265 points, just five points behind gold-medal winners Thailand.

Palembang, Thursday, November 17, 2011 — Sasha Christian, 18, won a silver in the women’s slalom on the second day of competition to add to the wakeboard gold she captured the day before.

Sasha forced a runoff against the reigning Asian slalom champion, Malaysia’s Philippa Yoong, after they had both finished level, negotiating three buoys using a 16m line at 55km/h (3.00/55/16). That score is a new Singapore national record.

The Malaysian won the gold after she navigated one buoy using a 13m line at 55km/h, while Sasha’s line was 14m at the same speed. (The shorter the rope length, the harder to negotiate the buoy.)

Kalya Kee of Singapore finished fourth in the same event with a 3.00/55/18.25.

Kalya Kee’s father, Geoffrey Kee, also saw action in the men’s slalom event, but finished out of the medals in fourth.

In the women’s tricking event, Sasha Christian and Kalya Kee finished out of the medals in fourth (1040 points) and sixth (380) respectively. The event was won by Aaliyah Yoong (2960) who is all of eight years of age. Sarreya (2570) of Thailand won silver while Phillipa Yoong (2570) bagged the bronze.

In the men’s tricking event, Singapore had Jerald Foo and Matthew Christian in action. Both finished out of the medals. Jerald (1410) was fifth, while Matthew was sixth (1190) and last. Febi Andri (3080) won gold, Norman Rahadi (3020) grabbed the silver and Jaemjan Padiwat (2560) finished with the bronze.

In the jumping event, Jerald Foo finished sixth, hitting 13.2m while Sasha Christian pulled out of the event.

Palembang, Wednesday, November 16, 2011 — Sasha Christian, 18, led the way with a gold in the wakeboarding competition. Compatriot Kalya Kee finished behind Sasha to capture the silver medal. Sasha’s brother, Matthew Christian, won the bronze in the men’s wakeboard category.

Sasha won the gold comfortably, scoring 60.35 points with Kalya notching 40.23. It was a much closer fight for the bronze where Samantha Maria of Philippines edged out Akaraisay Apassorn of Thailand by 0.78 points.

“It feels pretty prestigious to be competing (in the SEA Games),” Sasha was quoted as saying in The New Paper (Thurs, Nov 17, 2011, p.63). “It’s definitely one of the most precious medals I’ll ever win.”

Kalya and Sasha had topped their respective semi-finals to make it into the final round.

Kalya’s medal-winning performance followed in the footsteps of her mother, May Kee, who also won a skiing silver for Singapore at the 1997 SEA Games.

In the men’s competition, Mathew Christian faced a stiff field. His 60.12 was only good enough for bronze against the 69.13 of gold medal winner Jaemjan Padiwat, and the 65.56 of Jumruang Bunyalo, both of Thailand.

Compatriot Andy Huang was fifth with a score of 44.79.

SLALOM FINAL (WOMEN’S)
1st PHILLIPA CLARE (Malaysia; 3.00/55/16.00)
2nd CHRISTIAN SASHA S. (Singapore; 3.00/55/16.00)
3rd UMMU THOYIBATHUS S (Indonesia; 2.00/55/16.00)
4th KEE KALYA (Singapore; 3.00/55/18.25)
5th PATTANAN PAMONPOL (Thailand; 0.00/49)
WIWIN PURNAMASARI (Indonesia; DNS)

WAKEBOARD FINAL (WOMEN’S)
1st CHRISTIAN SASHA S. (Singapore; 60.45)
2nd KEE KALYA (Singapore; 40.23)
3rd MARIA SAMANTHA M. (Philippines; 36.46)
4th APASSORN AKARAISAY (Thailand; 35.68)
5th SARANYA WAINITRA (Thailand; 33.46)
6th CHEAH HSU ANN (Malaysia; 30.67)

WAKEBOARD FINAL (MEN’S)
1st PADIWAT JAEMJAN (Thailand; 69.13)
2nd BUNYALO JUMRUANG (Thailand; 65.56)
3rd CHRISTIAN MATTHEW (Singapore; 60.12)
4th ALEK HANIEF (Indonesia; 49.12)
5th HUANG, ANDY (Singapore; 44.79)
6th GRIFFIN MARK (Philippines; 43.80)

SLALOM FINAL (MEN’S)
1st FATH DAUD WANGKA (Indonesia; 1.50/58/13.00)
2nd YOONG ALEXANDER (Malaysia; 4.00/58/14.25)
3rd INDRA HARDINATA (Indonesia; 3.00/58/14.25)
4th KEE JIN LEONG GEOFFREY (Singapore; 2.50/58/18.25)
5th NATTAWUT HAPHOLDEE (Thailand; 1.00/58/18.25)
6th SHAMAL NORMAN (Malaysia; 2.50/52)
7th GRIFFIN MARK (Philippines; DNS)
8th CHRISTIAN MATTHEW (Singapore; DNS)

Go to next page for more photos