One Team Singapore float to debut at Chingay Parade

The One Team Singapore float measures 28m in length and will have a height of 12m. It will be unveiled to the public at next week's Chingay Parade, which is an annual street procession to mark the Chinese New Year. -- ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG 
The One Team Singapore float measures 28m in length and will have a height of 12m. It will be unveiled to the public at next week's Chingay Parade, which is an annual street procession to mark the Chinese New Year. -- ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG 
The One Team Singapore float measures 28m in length and will have a height of 12m. It will be unveiled to the public at next week's Chingay Parade, which is an annual street procession to mark the Chinese New Year. -- ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG 
The One Team Singapore float measures 28m in length and will have a height of 12m. It will be unveiled to the public at next week's Chingay Parade, which is an annual street procession to mark the Chinese New Year. -- ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG 

The longest float for this year's Chingay Parade will feature a sporting theme to coincide with Singapore hosting the SEA Games for the first time in 22 years.

Aptly named One Team Singapore, the massive float measures 28m in length and will have a height of 12m. It will be unveiled to the public at next week's Chingay Parade, which is an annual street procession to mark the Chinese New Year.

To mark the Republic's golden jubilee, Sport Singapore has teamed up with KF1 Karting Circuit to create a float that will highlight the importance of a sporting culture in the country.

The One Team Singapore float will feature national athletes from floorball, basketball, waterpolo and rugby, all of whom will compete in the June 5-16 Games. The float will also showcase an elevated running track with mannequins and parkour athletes on the specially-imported trampoline and parkour ramp.

A team of go-kart drivers with custom-made lit-up karts will also accompany the float while karters will go around on the float's custom-built karting track.

The float is built by Arina Holding International, whose managing director Richard Tan is also responsible for the $2 million KF1 Karting Circuit in Kranji and the $1.5 million Singapore Badminton Hall in Guillemard Road.

Tan, who has been a firm supporter of local sports, said on the sidelines of Tuesday's press conference: "We chose to participate in Chingay as 2015 is a really special year for Singapore. To celebrate the nation's 50th birthday, and encourage Singaporeans to bond through sports, we are bringing karting together with other sports, as One Team Singapore."

The partnership was also welcomed from SportSG. Said its chief of strategic development and marketing Toh Boon Yi: "As our national athletes compete in the sporting arenas on our behalf, it is important that they can draw strength from the rest of us - their teammates.

"Ahead of the SEA Games and Asean Para Games in the year of SG50, let's all come together as OneTeamSG and rally behind our athletes."

The 28th SEA Games will see more than 7,000 athletes and officials involved in 36 sports and 402 events.

The 8th Asean Para Games, held in Singapore for the first time from Dec 3-9, will feature about 3,300 athletes and officials from 10 countries competing in 15 sports.

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