Singapore flow riders get taste of world-class competition this weekend

Interview by Steven Goh

Four Singapore flowriders are taking part against world-ranked riders from around the globe in the Singapore-leg of the Contiki International FLOW (Flowriding League of the World) Championship at the Wave House Sentosa. The event started on Friday, October 29th, and ends on Sunday, October 31st.

Alfian Affandi, 26, and Arthur Kor, 27, on Men’s FlowBoard, Ili Lim, 20, on Women’s FlowBoard, and Leanna Crowley, 16, on the Expert Bodyboard are the four Singapore flowriders.

They will be joined by near-legends Greg Lazarus and Eric Silverman from the United States, and Matt Lammers and Wes Fischer from South Africa, to name a few.

Starting with Arthur Kor, we catch up with the four flowriders to find out more about them and their sport.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I’ve been surfing and skimboarding for 11 years now. I’m a free spirit and I love the sun, nature and surfing.

How long have you been Flowriding?
10 months.

What do you enjoy most about Flowriding?
For me flowriding is like riding a magic carpet and you can explore a lot of tricks while riding. It is a relatively new sport for me and I’m still learning a lot of new skills along the way.

What is your game plan for the Contiki IFC?
I’m just going to go with the flow and stay calm no matter what. I hope Team Singapore will be one of the top 3 teams at least, and for myself, I hope to be the top flowrider.

What kind of training have you done leading up to the event?
I’ve increased my training from once or twice a week to 4 times now, two hours each time. I hope to perfect some of my tricks before the event.

What is your usual fitness programme like and what does it consist of?
Just try to ride as much as I can, run two or three times a week, and do 30 pushups a day.

What do you say to anyone keen to try Flowriding?
I’d say that flowriding is a really fun sport but as with any sport, you must be careful and take precautions to avoid injuries. For instance, you should always tuck in your arms and protect your head when you fall. If you know you’re going to fall, it’s better to land backwards on your butt instead of falling forward to minimize injuries.

Why would you encourage others to participate?
Flowriding is a really fun sport and for many of us in Singapore, we’re unable to surf so this is the best alternative around. It is also quite challenging, especially at the Barrel. The experience of free flow is very exhilarating and exciting.

Go to next page for interviews with Alfian Affandi, Ili Nur Adha Lim, Leanna Crowley