It was the week I was permitted t0 forget about work altogether to focus on competing in the 2008 Labuan Brunei International Extreme Kayak Challenge, an epic 92-kilometre paddle race staged over two gruelling days and jointly organized by the Department of Youth and Sports Brunei Darussalam.

There is no other kayaking event in Asia that grants paddlers the liberty to explore two countries by braving a sea crossing over 92 kilometres of open ocean. With a pure adrenalin rush surfacing at the mere thought of it, it didn’t occur to me that I had less than eight weeks to lure an experienced Hong Kong-based adventure racer teammate, Stuart Sharpless, to join me and frantically log quality paddling hours.

Set on Brunei Bay, the kayak race was divided into four stages starting from the Labuan International Sea Sports Complex and ending stage one at the Brunei Sea Sports Complex. With race marshals who braved the scorching sun at the various checkpoints, it was clear that race director had given much thought to the course of the race, with safety guaranteed under the watchful eye of marine police escorting the 16 motley teams comprising four different nationalities.

By the end of stage two, Labuan Extreme Kayak Challenge 2008 had been conquered and won by Team Johor – Fajan bin Satta and Imam Sujardi Bin Satta – who moved it up a notch from second position in 2007 to become champions this year, bringing home RM10,000, a medal and certificate documenting a time of 10:01:20.

The winning team shared their secret, confessing that they resorted to cross training with weights as the only paddling opportunity for them was limited to still water paddling in a reservoir, training between 10-20 kilometres a few hours a day. These primitive training methods have bred two incredibly strong teams from Brunei who placed second and third places respectively, and no more than two minutes behind each other.

Stage three, a daunting and monotonous 18-kilometre paddle, proved to be more mental challenge than physical. Tahir Ahmadul, a member of the Sabah team who finished two eco-challenge series and two Mild Seven Outdoor Quests in Asia aptly stated: "Sometimes the ego surfaces in all us athletes. You know that you want to show what you have in the tank and what you can do when there is hype about another person and it makes you step up your game. However, there will be a point when you just want to give your best shot and do the best that you can, competing your own race".

Two pairs of young and passionate kayakers who have recently won their national long distance kayak race sponsored by the Singapore Canoe Federation gave an impressive performance for first timers, coming in the top ten in both stages of the race. "There was no pressure, as everyone else was so much older and more experienced in open water paddling than us and we just wanted to learn from this experience and enjoy the race," states 17-year-old Samuel Chin from Hwa Chong International Singapore. His team ranked ninth place in the race.

That daunting failure rate is about as near as I can imagine. Of all the teams competing, there were a few teams who did not finish the race and of those who crossed the finishing line, a few paddlers needed medical care due to heat exhaustion. There must be only a few teams for whom the stars are completely aligned. The field of competitors comprised all levels of kayakers who enjoyed this unforgettable sea adventure. Certainly a good level of personal fitness and paddling skills makes the journey more enjoyable, but paddlers are generally some of the most optimistic people around. They somehow manage to find paradise in some of the least welcoming waters and harshest weather conditions anywhere, that normally comes in three forms, wind, currents and waves. A familiar three-in-one package that both entices and tests paddlers to their limits.

It became obvious that most paddlers, like all outdoor racers, connect with nature and forge bonds that last a lifetime. Recalling a tough moment when Stuart and I were paddling against strong tidal currents with a broken rudder we spotted a sea turtle trailing alongside our kayak. This incredible sighting made us forget weariness and pain. This presumably ancient creature was a massive bloke, possibly a third the length of our kayak. Like a faithful pet, he tapped the kayak shell to get our attention as he accompanied us over a distance. We’d like to think we weren’t going too slowly at eight kilometers an hour, but rather that he was swimming fast!

We’d also like to think that the Labuan experience has provided insight and perspective as competitive paddlers and allowed us to experience the culture and friendship as provided by two of Asia’s best kept secrets, Labuan Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam. Little did we realise that they are situated only 46 kilometres apart as we crossed it with fellow paddlers from all over Asia brought together by a mutual desire to compete in and conquer this one event. We will definitely be back in 2009!