4th Annual Kep Trio – More than just a Sporting Event
This year’s Trio took place over the weekend of February 19th & 20th and played host to more than 140 participants – our largest turnout yet! Activities kicked off on Saturday morning with a presentation by BABC Executive Director David Pred, highlighting the objectives of the Hand in Hand project and the many achievements the community has made over the past several years in its fight against entrenched poverty.
At the end of the runs, the top male and female participants from each event were presented with fun award certificates donating community development activities in their honor. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed a traditional peace blessing with the performance of the Peacock Dance by the Chamcar Bei youth group. Kep Provincial Vice Governor Ms. Prum Chamreourn closed out the event with a speech thanking BABC and both local and international participants for their ongoing support in Chamcar Bei.
Although the 2011 Kep Trio was our fourth event, it was a year of firsts – the first time we included the 3K Fun Run/Walk, the first time we had a representative from the Cambodian Olympic team, and our first engagement!! Congratulations to James Yip and Xin Yi Yeoh from Singapore who got engaged at the beautiful Veranda on Saturday night!
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The 4th Annual Kep Trio was held on February 19-20 and was a terrific success. As sporting events go, the Kep Trio has a lot more than just athletics on offer. While the Half Marathon and 10K Run are more appropriate for seasoned runners, the 3K Fun Run/Walk and 10K Bike Ride are suitable anyone who enjoys getting out of the city and into the beautiful countryside. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness and funds for BAB Cambodia’s poverty alleviation and community development efforts in Kep. In addition to the sports activities, participants get to spend time in a rural village interacting with community members and see first hand what the money they raise is helping to achieve. With donations still coming in, participants, supporters and sponsors of the 4th Annual Kep Trio have already raised over $25,000 this year for the Hand in Hand Cambodia project which aims to raise the living standards of over 3,000 villagers in Chamcar Bei commune through community-driven health, education, and livelihoods initiatives.
Following the presentation, participants enjoyed a buffet brunch at Knai Bang Chatt’s Sailing Club before assembling at the starting line of the 10K Bike Event. Bikers made their way from the Keo Krosang Pagoda on the outskirts of Kep City through rice fields and scenic countryside roads, to end the event at the Community Learning Center in Chamcar Bei. Welcomed by hundreds of students and children, the day had a celebratory feel with each of the 80 riders presenting their event bike to a member of the community. In the words of participant Claire Barker, “riding in the bike event was worth every last drop of sweat to see the broad smile spread across the face of the lady who was chosen to receive my event bicycle. I hope it will make a difference to her and her family”.
Each year one of the highlights of the event is the dinner on Saturday evening at the picturesque Sailing Club. This year participants and supporters enjoyed a delicious buffet, including made-to-order pasta, while bidding on artwork created by Chamcar Bei students for a silent auction. Beautiful handicrafts made by the Women’s Handicraft and Development Association (WHADA) were also available for purchase. A Raffle Event was held this year with prizes donated by raffle sponsors AusFit, Intercontinental Phnom Penh, Tiger, Water Lily, Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Knai Bang Chatt, Eureka Villas, Bodia Spa, Yumi and the Vine Retreat. As with previous years, the event concluded with an interactive and lively performance by Phnom Penh-based dance troupe Tiny Toones, who never fail to end the evening on a high note.
Bright and early on Sunday morning, runners assembled at the starting lines of the Half Marathon, 10K Run, and 3K Fun Run/Walk – with excitement building early in the day when word got around that Cambodian Men’s Olympian Hem Bunting and Female Olympic hopeful Ly Nary were running in the Half Marathon! Bunting did not disappoint the crowds as he blazed his way through the village toward the finish line at the Community Vocational Training Center with a winning time of 1:20:22. Amazing!
As participants from all of the running events made their way towards the CVTC, they mingled with fellow runners, community members and the producers from WHADA, who were busy selling their locally produced handicrafts. As the growing crowd waited for the last participants to cross the finish line, young students from the village entertained us with their own “When I Grow Up”, created with direction from Claire, Rebecca and Sahirrah from Singapore-based theatre group Buds.