The 25th Labuan International Sea Challenge (25th LISC) 2023, which kicks off next Tuesday (May 9), is expected to draw a huge crowd to Labuan International Business and Financial Centre.
The prestigious Labuan annual championship featuring 15 events, is expected to attract more than 1, 000 foreign and local participants, and is offering a total of RM240, 000 worth of prizes.
Labuan Corporation (LC) chief executive officer Rithuan Ismail said the curtain-raiser of the 25th LISC is the DAIWA Deep Sea Challenge is scheduled to be flagged off on May 9 at the Public Marina jetty.
“We expect more than 20,000 people will be in Labuan for the 25th series of LISC from May 8 -14, which is double from the number we received in the last year’s LISC.
“We are fully prepared to receive the inflow of visitors to witness this year’s full-blast 25th LISC,” he said at a press conference here today.
LISC’s main event will be the deep sea fishing tournament, DAIWA Deep Sea Challenge which offers a total cash prize of RM60, 000 and that has attracted foreign anglers from French, Australia, Canada and Brunei.
“Of course, anglers from Borneo Island of Sabah and Sarawak, Labuan, and across Malaysia will also be taking part in this deep sea fishing tournament, as teams from Sabah had won a number of games in the past,” he said.
Rithuan said a total of 213 anglers in 21 fishing vessels are taking in the fishing tournament.
He said another two main events are Labuan Cross Channel Swimming Challenge and Labuan Round Island Kayak Race, and the cash prizes for the three main events totalled RM123, 600.
Rithuan said other events include TikTok Most Creative LISC 2023, squid catching competition, Borneo Martial Arts Expo (BMAEX) Semi Pro Edition 2023, Karaoke Duo/Group competition and newly-introduced boat race tournament.
Other supporting games that had been listed throughout the event are beach sports such beach volleyball, beach rugby, LISC Run 2023, LISC petanque beach tournament and coastal fishing among others.
The annual event, which began in 1997, has given Labuan a positive image internationally due to the international participation, especially in the LISC international fishing tournament, Labuan Cross Channel Swimming Challenge and Labuan Round Island Kayak Race.
Rithuan said the five-day event is held in collaboration with government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), LDA Holdings Sdn Bhd, Labuan Media Practitioner Association and local residents.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency