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Panthers hold Corsaires in
gruelling finish to Rugby 10’s!
Under a blazing sun on the ISR field, arguably the best
rugby pitch in Thailand, the finalists in the international rugby 10’s
competition fought one of the best competitions seen in Pattaya for many
years. Not only was it good rugby, but the outcome was also amazing.
 The
Pattaya Panthers and the Bangkok Corsaires, after a gruelling match in the
searing heat, were finally awarded a draw and crowned co-champions of the
Thailand 10s Rugby Championships.
Nine teams had come to Pattaya for the two day event,
with teams from Hong Kong, Cambodia, Thailand and the much vaunted
Letchworth team from the UK, all of whom were very (read VERY) big boys!
The first upset came when after a heavy night of
“letching” the Letchworth team found the Thailand heat a little much
and, after all the Carlsbergs and Heineken’s the night before, gradually
ground to a halt like run-down clockwork motors. One of their number
repaired to the change room to try and get cool under the fan and promptly
stuck his fingers in the blades, so they went one man down there as well!
 The
Panthers and Corsaires battle it out in a rugged scrum during the finals.
Hong Kong played hard, but fair football while the Les
Piliers team from Cambodia surprised many with their speed on the turf.
However, by Sunday afternoon, the two teams that had
fought their way through to the final were the Bangkok Corsaires and the
Pattaya Panthers. These two had met previously, with the Corsaires always
dominant, so the Panthers were the underdogs, though the favourites for
the local partisan population.
In the first half, the Corsaires were the first to get
the ball over, but missed the conversion. However, the Panthers fought
back with a converted try to go 7-5 up at half time. In the second half,
the Panthers managed a break to score another try but missed the
conversion. At 12-5 with six minutes to go, the locals looked good, but
another bruising breakthrough by the Corsaires, plus a conversion from
between the posts saw the final score 12 all.
It had been decided that in the event of a tie, there
would be a “sudden death” 5 minute playoff, and the first side to
score would be the winners. After 5 minutes of bruising football it was
still 12 all. Referee David Viccars led them back out for a second 5
minutes - but again it was 12 all!
It was then decided that whichever side had scored the
most tries during the competition could be the winner - guess what? It was
still a tie! The two weary teams, almost dropping with dehydration and
exhaustion were calling in reserves from the bench every 30 seconds, but
still they battled on for another 5 minutes - to finish 12 all still!
Organisers spoke with the two captains and they both
decided that the only result was a draw! Both teams were applauded and the
captains’ decision agreed with. Even the referee was heard to gasp,
“I’m knackered!” Certainly an amazing match!
The competition was inherited by Pattaya at very short
notice, Pattaya Panthers’ David Garred and his fellow players organising
a superb event. With help from Neil Smith and Graham Macdonald, along with
sponsorship from Delaney’s Irish Pub (thanks Kim), Foster Wheeler
(thanks Vic), Global Silverhawk (thanks Paul) and CR Industrial (thanks
Dave), ACS Asia (thanks Chris), McConnell Dowell (thanks Mick), Mermaids
Dive Centre (thanks Steve), Thainox (thanks Andy), Pattaya Mail, Classic
Travel and Dusit Resort Sports Club, with the hungry and the thirsty being
looked after by Pat’s Pies and Delaney’s beer tent, it is hoped that
this will become another annual event for Pattaya.
Daisy, Alek and Decha surf to victory
by Daisy Vogt
From the 14th until the 16th of April, the “Amazing
Windsurfing Competition” was held on Jomtien Beach as part of the Pattaya
Festival 2000.
Friday the 14th was registration and practice races,
where all participants were put into 7 different categories. More than 70
competitors came from Rayong, Sattahip, Bangkok, Pattaya, Malaysia and
Korea.
 Alek
(left), 2nd place Funboard, Daisy (crouching center), the only farang and
the only girl in the group under 18 who finished all the races, and Decha
(right, with trophy) from Star Board Club Jomtien, 1st place Funboard.
On Saturday, the big event started, although the wind
seemed to have disappeared. After a briefing at 10.00 a.m. it was decided
the youth race would be scheduled around Midday when the wind would surely
pick up. So, since the start was outside, about 1/2 km out to sea, all the
kids and young adults got on their boards and started surfing out to the
buoy with about 20 minutes to spare. Except for one problem, they were not
surfing; they were floating in one spot. In other words, there was no wind.
After 20 minutes of solid ‘pumping’ the ‘fastest’ surfers were only
about half way to the starting line and others had put their sails on the
boards and were paddling and swimming out. It was then when the organizers
decided to cancel that race. After rescue efforts were made with a speedboat
and the coastguard, everybody was glad to have their feet back on the sand.
Instead of windsurfing races that day the kids got to
participate in the “No Wind Paddling on the Board Competition”. In this
race everybody goes in pairs and each pair had to get a board and paddle out
to a buoy about 10 meters out and back. Even though this does not sound like
much it was exhausting and the winners were happy for the chips and candy
that were given as prizes.
Sadly that day the Funboard and One Design competitors
could not compete in any of the activities or races because there was
absolutely no wind. Everybody was praying to get wind the next day.
On Sunday, after a long night at the beach party and some
other places, the youth once more set out at 11:00 a.m. for their first race
of the day. Even though this race was rudely interrupted by thunder,
lightning and rain, the race was finished and everybody was even more
exhausted but happy. During the course of the day two more competitions were
held for the kids and young adults and later in the afternoon when the wind
picked up 8 races were held for the Funboarders and 8 races for the One
Designers.
That evening, together with the jet boat racers, the
trophies were handed out opposite of the “Surf Club International” on
the beach, with lots of food, lots of rain and about 30 knots of wind. All
in all it was a great competition and everybody enjoyed the activities
offered, even though there was no wind on Saturday.
Results:
Kids under 15 (girls):
1. Sunicha Buakaw (Tangmo)
2. Siyarat Saytong
Kids under 15 (boys):
1. Chesda Deeden (Keng)
2. Biyawat Bunsawat
3. Ek Panbudee
4. Anucha Buakaw
Youth under 18 (girls):
1. Daisy Vogt (Pattaya)
Youth under 18 (boys):
1. Tuedsadee Chiangton
2. Utapong Trongtokit
3. Puatad Singguen
Funboard: (both winners from Pattaya):
1. Deecha Hommannee
2. Kampton Praserdkan (Alek)
One Design (Female):
1. Natasay Tansaychan (from the Olympic Team 2000)
One Design (Male):
1. Aran Bathoalaluen
2. Panutat Pinlomsap
3. Suhaimee Yaymohamatkasen (Ni from the Olympic Team 2000)
Frank Collins lands first Dolphin Fish of
the season
The PESCO fishing team of Carl Engel and Frank Collins
left the docks at Ban Suray early in the morning Thursday April 6. The
agenda for the day was to go out into the Gulf of Thailand and search for
Dolphin Fish.
 Frank
Collins landed the first Dolphin Fish of the season on Thursday April 6.
Normally about this time of the year the Dolphin fish
arrive in the area. To find them first you must find bunches of bamboo in
the sea that have washed out into the gulf. If you do not find the bamboo
floating in the sea, you do not find any fish. If you are lucky and find the
bamboo then you find the Dolphin Fish around and under the bamboo. Then it
is a free for all. You then can catch the fish as fast as you can drag them
in.
On this day one small piece of bamboo was found and one
large 12 lb. Dolphin Fish was immediately hooked. Then two more boats pulled
up to the bamboo and chased the fish away. So only one Dolphin Fish was
caught at that location. After searching all morning and part of the
afternoon and traveling more than 30 kilometers out into the gulf, no more
bamboo was found that day. The remainder of the day was spent reef fishing.
That produced a nice 20 lb. black tipped shark caught by Carl Engel and a
nice 4 lb. Queen Fish, for a total of 32 lbs. of fish for the day.
Just a few days later Frank Collins, fishing in the same area, landed
more than 130 Dolphin Fish in one afternoon. Quite a catch for one
afternoon’s fishing. Just find the bamboo and catch all the fish you want.
The Path of Self Healing
by Patrick Stahl,
NRG Center
In oriental medicine it is said that disease is the
physiological expression of a disharmony of the energy system of the body.
Acupuncture and herbal formulas, among other modalities, are administered to
rehabilitate the individual back to a state of balance and health. In a
similar fashion to western medicine, these are procedures that are “done
to” the patient. While these modalities are more natural and health
enhancing than surgery and medications they are still done to the patient
who is often a passive recipient of services. This dynamic is a betrayal of
the essence of oriental medicine as revealed in one of the great laws of
oriental medicine, “teach rather than treat”. In the Nei Ching it says,
“The inferior physician treats diseases, the superior physician teaches
the well to remain well”. We can see clearly the consequences of not
honouring this law in the modern world: people dependent on experts outside
themselves to “cure” them and a resulting health costs crisis.
Chi-Gong captures the essence of oriental medicine in a
personal practice which includes all the necessary tools for self healing.
Chi-Gong is profound medicine, it is easily learned, it is medicine that is
always with the person, it has no cost, requires no memberships or special
equipment, the individual does not need a doctor’s order, permission,
diagnosis or prescription, it is not necessary to go to a clinic, hospital
or pharmacy to get it. This is a medicine so completely simple that the
average person, addicted to complexity, probably won’t use it. The
medicine is in the person and needs only to be turned on.
In the 1950s in China it was a government mandate to
explore the treasure of traditional medicine as well as the technological
medicine of the west for the most efficient combination of clinical
strategies. A group of gastro-intestinal cancer patients was divided into
several experimental groups (13). One group received radiological and
chemotherapeutic modalities, one group received radiological,
chemotherapeutic and breath physiotherapy (Chi-Gong) and one group received
radiological, chemotherapy, Chi-Gong and Fu Zheng (immune enhancing tonic
herbs). The results showed significantly longer survival rates for the
groups that had treatments from both Western medicine and Chinese medicine
together. Unfortunately, the Chinese were so enraptured with the Western
techniques that they did not have a group that used just Chi-Gong and herbal
formulas so we can only speculate that such a group would have had better
survival rates as well.
It is startling that this simple therapeutic tool should
be so available and not have created a revolution in health care. In 1896 in
the United States a small book was written on the powerful potential of
breath practice, “Nature’s Cure For Chronic Diseases: The Greatest
Health Discovery of the Age”, by H. C. Borger. This book, with no
reference to any oriental sources, describes healing through breathing
exercises. Its rationale is focused primarily on oxygen metabolism and
circulation. It is clear that experts, not only in the mysterious orient but
also in the western world, have found the cultivation of the breath to be a
profound therapeutic agent. Why then is breath practice not a common
therapeutic tool?
One especially important characteristic of this type of
therapeutic strategy is that it can be done by elders and patients
restricted to wheelchairs and bed rest. In fact, this is an exercise that
can be done by individuals suffering from paralysis. The lying down Chi-Gong
that seems as if nothing is happening is a perfect exercise for people with
paralysis. In Illinois a martial arts instructor named Cha Kyo Han uses
Chi-Gong-like breathing exercises with progressive resistance ISO-metric
exercises to help people with multiple sclerosis, stroke, degenerative
disease and handicaps to improve their health. One of his MS patients has
had dramatic improvement and is walking and teaching the method to others.
The potential in Chi-Gong for healing as well as health cost containment is
very timely and needed.
PSC Golf this week
Lewiinski’s have the last fixture in April on Sunday
30th playing a Stableford competition at Rayong Green Valley, leaving at
10.15 a.m.
On Monday 1st May, the first of four public holidays in
May, PSC Golf from the Cafe Kronborg goes to Century Chonburi to play
Stableford. Hare House are taking a holiday that day, and with the
decision by the Splinter Golf Group to leave the PSC Golf umbrella
organisation, we just have the one fixture from the Cafe Kronborg. On
Tuesday 2nd May, the Bunker also go to Century Chonburi while
Lewiinski’s go to Bangpra, both for Stableford competitions.
On Wednesday 3rd May, Hare House go to Pattaya Country
Club for a medal round.
Two options on Thursday 4th May, stroke play at Great
Lake with the Cafe Kronborg or Team Stableford at Treasure Hill with
Lewiinski’s. Friday 5th is another public holiday and Hare House are
making that a holiday too.
Coming up in the second week of May are two
‘majors’. On Monday 8th May, Papasan Ray Rogers has his annual
birthday tournament, this year to celebrate his 85th! This is at Pattaya
Country Club and afterwards at Ray’s house. Sign up at the Cafe
Kronborg.
Following on Friday that week is the Delaney’s
Funhill Cup at Eastern Star. Entry Forms are at Delaney’s, Cafe
Kronborg, Hare House and Lewiinski’s. Don’t delay in getting your
entry in as a large number are coming from Bangkok for this tournament.
More details are in this issue of Pattaya Mail.
PH3 - The Songkran Run
Arriving at the A site I noticed several cars and trucks
parked in a semi circle; the site looked like the one NASA used for the
recent Mars mission for there lander testing. After positioning my wheels
for a quick getaway at the end of the circle, I gathered around the other
hashers and waited several minutes before the mass arrival of the hash
chariot loaded to the brim. After a few minutes to gather the extra cash
from the private transport hashers, General Kidney Wiper called the hash to
order to give the brief run instructions and christen any new shoes. At this
time I was unaware of the fait awaiting me; once the new shoes were dealt
with GKW asked were I was, and after avoiding his gaze for several minutes I
was given the job as this week’s scribe. Seems I have not been as prolific
as I used to be several years ago.
Anyway, here are my recollections of the run and after.
114 runners including the usual mob of people who seem to never leave sight
of the grog truck signed up this week to see what Festering Streaker and S
Stayins had in store. The run started across the road and onto the paddy
dikes. Being the athletic one, I was eager to pump up the heart rate on a
steady jog. Unfortunately, the first section of the run was a single line
trail of walkers not wanting to get their trainers all muddied up. About 100
yards ahead I could see the FRB’s spreading out in what was surely a
check. Arriving at the grassy knoll I was accompanied by Bald Headed C who
promptly announced that he knew where the trail was and lead a small pack on
a trail off left. Soon the FRB’s were all heading off left about 100 yards
ahead. Needless to say BHC and his merry band started to back track. We were
soon on sound ground and the pace started to quicken. I missed last weeks
run but Chicken F recognized some landmarks and said that Charlie Manson had
set a run in the same area only last week.
As we headed off a small dirt track a couple of vicious
looking Dobermans, thankfully behind a high fence, sounded that the front of
the pack was not far ahead. “We ran this trail last week,” was the cry
of several hashers in my small pack. After a small loss of paper we
backtracked and soon found the trail again.
A water hazard ahead caused A Breadfruit to loose his
balance and dirty his runners. I managed to leap the raging river in two
bounds with only one shoe slightly wet. We were soon again on the familiar
paddy dikes and seeing the power lines just ahead I knew we were not too far
from home. A couple of dikes later and we were on the asphalt with the hash
bus in site. Something in the region of 45 minutes I guess. I would judge it
to be a good run, so well done hares.
After the last of the stragglers had managed to get
cleaned up and fill up with refreshments and snacks the hash haberdasher
closed up; Cface aided by the hares was filling the down down table to the
brim with the amber nectar. GKW called the circle to order and with a
request to bring the circle in a bit Ewok took centre stage and started to
hand out plenty of nice raffle prizes. With a full moon and a clear sky it
was nice bright evening.
Raffle over it was time for the hares Festering Streaker
and S Stayins to sit on ice and once dealt with in the appropriate manner,
returnees, then virgins were called in and duly dealt with. With the
unexpected absence of Sir Airhead, our favourite good Religious Advisor,
standby R.A. C.F. took centre stage and as tradition goes called in the
hares one more time for some infractions regarding the fact that they had
used most of Charlie Manson’s paper from the previous week to set the run.
The circle at this time was getting a little noisy and
without Boy George and his Fileofax to take notes, I cannot remember who
else had to be dealt religious rites. I seem to remember a bunch of US
military from various hashes that were unable to give us a song. Hedge, a
welcome visitor back to see if he still liked Amarit (and he does), was
called in along with Quarter Pounder with Cheese and another rotund person
for a personalized song by C.F. I am sure Hedge enjoyed.
The hares performed a good song even though they were a
little out of key and had to halt two or three times during the song to
regain the momentum. After that all was left was to clear a couple of beers
left on the table and sing the hash hymn, then off to Delaney’s for some
of Big Chief Wombmasters finest cuisine.
Although I thought I would be one of the first at the On
On, there were quite few already munching away at Delaney’s great spread.
As the hashers kept coming Kim’s crew were filling up the trays, and
although I’m not a frequent visitor to the On On’s I can only marvel at
the fine spread put on tonight. With most of the crowd in, the East Coast
Band started to warm up and the hash started to mass on the dance floor.
Fossil and the hash cracks were soon bouncing around in some kind of Afro
dancing, and Boy George was soon giving his impression of Saturday Night
Fever.
After a short break the band was once again on stage with
guest singers and Homocyclist on the bongos. With the beer flowing freely,
the atmosphere was electric and one of the visitors (a rich one) nearly
pulled the bell from the mounting and after a little reassurance to Kim he
wanted to buy all a beer, extra drinks were being pulled. About this point
my memory started to fail me, but I do remember that Festering Streaker got
a kick in the gonads for some infraction by Kill Benny. A good run and
circle followed by a great On On courtesy of Big Chief Wombmaster and
Delaney’s.
On-On, The Pope
Fairytale win for David Coulthard
Following a week of rain (which even saw the rescue
truck get bogged on the Friday), the British Grand Prix was held in bright
sunshine. After Qualifying, the pole position was held by Ferrari’s
Rubens Barichello, with Frentzen in the yellow Jordan beside him. On the
second row were the two McLaren Mercedes of Hakkinen and Coulthard and on
the third row Ferrari’s champion elect, Michael Schumacher and the young
BMW Williams sensation, 20 year old Jenson Button.
 David
Coulthard brings it home to win the British Grand Prix
The start was obviously going to be crucial for
Schumacher and he timed an almost perfect slingshot from the third row to
get alongside Hakkinen, only to be gently shouldered aside, and putting
two wheels onto the wet grass verge, he slipped straight back into 8th
after the first corner.
In the melee, Coulthard had also got by Hakkinen, so
the order was Barichello from Frentzen, Coulthard, Hakkinen, Button,
Villeneuve (BAR), Ralf Schumacher (BMW Williams) and Michael Schumacher.
The leading 5 cars pulled away from the rest, with
Schumacher caught behind his younger brother and admitting later that he
didn’t want to race him aggressively (so the elder brother might have a
heart after all)!
On lap 24 Frentzen went into the pits for the first
time, leaving the McLarens in 2nd and 3rd and Michael Schumacher now up to
5th. However, on the 30th lap (half way) Barichello had a “moment” and
Coulthard was through and away.
4 laps later Barichello spun on his own leaking
hydraulic fluid and returned to the pits to retire.
By lap 39, the top six cars had all pitted and the
order, after everything settled down, was Frentzen from Coulthard, Ralf
Schumacher, Button, Hakkinen and Michael Schumacher. The young Button
showing great maturity running in such ‘exalted’ company.
Frentzen’s lead was short-lived however, pitting on
lap 42 and then retiring on lap 50 with the car stuck in 6th gear. After
inheriting the lead, Coulthard put his head down, never putting a wheel
wrong and keeping his head, despite a gearbox problem, to win his second
British GP in front of a wildly cheering crowd, and a very happy Ron
Dennis from McLaren and Norbert Haug from Mercedes.
2nd across the line was defending champion Mika
Hakkinen, with Michael Schumacher 18 seconds adrift in 3rd. The two BMW
Williams of the younger Schumacher and Button were 4th and 5th and Jarno
Trulli brought the second Jordan home in 6th place.
This was a dream result for McLaren Mercedes, though
judging by the sour look on Hakkinen’s face, it was not a dream he
shared! At last, the team from Woking had stopped the Ferrari juggernaut.
The championship standings are now M. Schumacher 34
points, Coulthard 14, Hakkinen 12, R. Schumacher 9, Barichello 9,
Fisichella (Benetton) 8, Villeneuve 5, Frentzen 4, Button 3, and Salo
(Sauber) and Zonta (BAR) 1 each.
In the constructors championship, Ferrari still leads
with 43 points, but with a greatly reduced margin over Mercedes McLaren on
26, BMW Williams 12 and Jordan 8.
The next round will be the Spanish GP at Barcelona on the 6th of May.
Fitness Tips: The breakfast
of (lean) champions - Carbohydrate
by David Garred
Club Manager Dusit Resort Sports Club
G’Day Pattaya,
When the greatest event on the sporting calendar, the
Bangkok International 10’s Rugby Tournament, loomed large for
Pattaya’s supreme athletes, the Delaney’s Pattaya Panthers, the
pre-competition diet was brought up at training.
The answer to the team’s question: “What is the
best food to get us into the right high energy level and alertness to
ensure we play our best?” has a surprisingly pertinent answer.
The answer to the Panther’s quandary applies equally
to all human beings, all the time, not just who planned to take a
tournament by storm on the 22nd and 23rd of April.
So instead of airing the answer at the closed doors
training session on Tuesday night I thought the public forum of the
Pattaya Mail would be the best way to get us all up and running on a daily
basis.
It’s long been thought that breakfast may be the most
important meal of the day.
It ‘kick starts’ the metabolism and is thought to
result in greater energy expenditure throughout the day. Also, because
less fat is usually eaten at breakfast, total daily fat intake might be
lower with a good, high-energy breakfast.
There is another benefit of breakfast that may have
been overlooked. It could also increase alertness and decrease the total
amount of food eaten throughout the rest of the day. At least that is the
conclusion from some innovative research carried out by Dr Suzzana Holt
and colleagues from the human nutrition unit at Sydney University.
Dr. Holt has achieved notoriety from her previous work
examining the satiation effect (the effect of how full you feel after
eating different foods) and the production of a ‘satiety index’ (SI)
(check back through my articles from last year) for a range of different
foods. In the current study, carried out with a group of eminent British
psychologists, she has extended the study of satiety to include a measure
of alertness after eating.
Breakfast and Hunger
Dr Holt and her colleagues examined the difference
between four different types of breakfasts on later hunger levels and
feelings of alertness. All meals were of the same energy density
(calories), but two were high in Fat and low in Carbohydrate and the other
two were high in Carbohydrate or Fibre and low in Fat. The Fat meals were
of typical English style bacon and eggs breakfast.
Fourteen people were asked to eat a different breakfast
on each of four mornings. They then rated their hunger levels during the
day and their total food intake was also measured.
Although the high fibre diet was rated less palatable
than the high fat or high carbohydrate breakfasts, hunger returned at a
much slower rate after high fibre than high fat, or even a high
carbohydrate breakfast. There was also a much greater intake of food later
in the morning after the high fat meals and this resulted in a greater
food intake throughout the day. This is one possible explanation for the
greater fattening effects of high fat foods, particularly at breakfast.
Of even more interest was the measure of alertness used
by the researchers after breakfast. On average, the high-fibre,
carbohydrate rich meal resulted in a significantly greater level of
alertness during the period between breakfast and lunch, than any other of
the meals. This confirms the fact that a high fat breakfast is not only
less satiating (filling) than a high carbohydrate breakfast, but that it
may increase weight, as well as cause greater lethargy during the day.
So, to the Panthers and to the rest of us, a good
breakfast; high in fibre and carbohydrates but low in fat will ensure that
both your body and your brain are firing on all cylinders every day.
Panthers Carpe’ tournament
Carpe’ diem
Copyright 2000 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Updated by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek, assisted by Boonsiri
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