Kosal, boat racing navigator of Tonlé Sap: "Each victory brings us $250."
At the heart of the Water Festival, racing boats don't always carry the colors of their rowers. Kosal speaks about the training, pride, and organization of this major race.
The Water Festival is in full swing right now in Phnom Penh. The capital has seen its population double since the beginning of the week with the massive arrival of people from the provinces. The main attractions during these festive days are the boat races on the Tonlé Sap, where all Khmer regions compete against each other. One might think that the rowers always wear the jersey of their own region… but that's not the case for Kosal. The young navigator comes from the village of Khum Meanchey in Kompong Thom province, in central Cambodge. He trains in the surrounding river but is defending, this year, the colors of Stung Treng province, on the Laotian border, because the latter doesn't have enough sailors.
Do you prepare all year for the Water Festival race?
Our boat and oars are ready 15 days before the Water Festival. From that point on, we train for 20 minutes a day all together in a river near our village—there are 85 of us in the boat. The rest of the year I train with a barrel and a stick as an oar.
Kosal and his teammates defending the colors of Stung Treng
How important is the race for your province?
The race is like a job for us—we're here to win! The people of Stung Treng province recruited us to row for them.
What are the rewards for these races?
We compete in two boat races during the Water Festival. Each can bring $250 to our boat. If we win, we split the amount among all the rowers. But we want to win for the honor and to prove that we're good at this discipline.
Is it truly a competition then?
For the race itself, yes, but we also love coming back to Phnom Penh. It's a tradition that goes back generations—during the Water Festival—and we never visit the capital otherwise. This is our only chance.
Who helps you financially to prepare for the competition?
A donor from Phnom Penh helped Stung Treng province, which provided us transport from Kompong Thom. They house us and also pay for our meals here in the capital.
What equipment do you bring personally?
I simply brought my oar and the clothing provided by Stung Treng province. We wear orange and blue.
Frequently asked questions
The Water Festival takes place every year in Cambodge, typically in November, and attracts thousands of visitors to Phnom Penh to witness the traditional boat races on the Tonlé Sap.
According to Kosal, boats can accommodate up to 85 rowers who train together to represent their province during competitions.
Each victory brings $250 to the crew, a sum that is then shared among all the rowers in the boat.
Images restored from the source site — reposition manually if necessary.
