Tour de Singkarak 2013: Cyclists Release Baby Turtles to the Ocean on Rest Day

AFB - Friday, 7 June was a day of rest given to the cyclist, to revitalize their energy to face the two more long stages ahead in the Tour de Singkarak 2013. The day was filled relaxing, enjoying the wide open beach and the wonderful natural environment by releasing hundreds of baby turtles to the Indian Ocean at  Pantai Air Manis beach of Padang, capital of the province of West Sumatra.

 

All participants carefully and enthusiastically set free some 300 baby turtles in all.  Some giving a fond farewell kiss to the turtle before releasing it to the sea. Oscar Pujo Munoq and Fatahillah Abdullah wearing casual clothes, waded gleefully into the waves carrying the baby turtle far into the sea. Munoz told indonesia.travel that this was the very first time that he has released turtles, and fully enjoyed the experience.   

The turtles were bred in a conservation area in the town of Pariaman.  

Air Manis Beach regularly draws tourists in Padang, and is the site of the Indonesian legend, Malin Kundang. Malin Kundangtells the story of an ungrateful son who wandered to many parts of the world. On his return to Padang as a wealthy merchant he refused to acknowldg his mother who had remained poor.  As punishment Maln Kundang was turned into stone. And, indeed, on this beach is a large rock that resembles a remorseful, kneeling man, which locals believe is the stone to which Malin Kundang was eternally cursed.

Air Manis Beach is 30 minutes from the center of Padang.

On Saturday, 8 June, racers will resume with Stage 6 from Pariaman to Painan, covering a distanc e of 144.5 km all the way along the coast, thus giving a good chance for sprinters to race.

Stage 5: Ghader Mizbani recaptures Yellow Jersey for Iranian team

In Stage 5, on Thursday, 6 June, covering 138.5 km from Sawahlunto to Muara Labug,  Iranian Ghader Mizbani Iranagh from  theTabriz Petrochemical team managed to win back the yellow jersey for the Iranians in the Individual General Classification. While Tabriz Petrochemical held first position in the Team General Classification.

In the Individual Classification John Coenen from Belgium came second, followed by Amir Kolahdozhagh from Iran in third place.  While in the Team General Classification, second came Budget Forklifts from Australia, followed in third place byTimnas Indonesia.

While in the Indonesia individual General Classification, Aiman Cahyadi of Timnas was entitled to wear the Red and White jersey, He was followed in second place by Robin Manulang of Timans and Hari Fitrianto of CNN.

The 5th stage took cyclists pass two beautiful of West Sumatra, the Danau Diatas and Danau Dibawah, meaning the Upper and Lower lakes located in the magnificent Bukit Barisan mountain range, which forms the spine of the island of Sumatra.