BounceOFF! is Asia’s largest inflatable race and it was held at Sentosa’s Siloso Beach for the first time in Singapore. Supposedly to be scheduled last year, however this race was postponed due to haze, but finally it was here on Saturday, 12 March 2016.
There were various time slots to choose from during the registration, and there were even recommended time slots for participants with children. We selected the 1pm slot, and were required to arrive an hour before the flag off time so that we could collect our race packs and deposit our bags.
Travelling to the race location was easy as free transport was provided into Sentosa for BounceOFF! participants! All we had to do was show the staff our race tee or the registration slip. We took the monorail from Vivo City to Beach Station, and the race site was just a 5-10 min walk from the Beach Station.
A Friendly Start
There were crew members stationed all around and they were really helpful in providing directions and information to the public. After registering at the counter, we were provided with our race tee and race pack. Although the race pack was a simple drawstring bag with several packets of instant drinks,a S$5 meal voucher and some discount coupons, what caught our attention was the waterproof mobile lanyard provided.
The organisers were thoughtful to have included this simple item as a part of their race pack. Through the race, we spotted many bouncers with the lanyard and it too provided great convenience for us to enjoy the race with our hands free and phones secured.
The organisers also provided baggage deposit services for participants to store their bags! A tag was allocated to your bag and its corresponding number was labelled on your wrist-tag so you could play hard knowing that your bag was secured. After the race, you could head over to the bazaar for food and carnival games. This was a great opportunity to use that S$5 coupon inside your race pack!
11 Fun Obstacle Courses
There were a total of 11 obstacle courses throughout the 3.2km race. Some of them were as shown below:
Moreover, there was also a carnival bazaar that participants could engage in. There were many exciting activities such as the Inflatable rock wall, Human Futsal, Foam pool etc.
Initially, we were all hyped from the promotion video found on the bounce website and we started our journey to the event with anticipation and anxieties (thanks to our fear of heights).
However, upon reaching the race site, we were a little disappointed by the size of the obstacles. We expected the obstacles to be bigger, similar to that of the video that was shown. Instead, it turned out to be smaller than we expected.
Race Summary
Despite this, some of the stations were pretty challenging and we definitely had a whale of a time completing them. Furthermore, as the size of the obstacles were scaled down, this allowed it to cater to the needs of children hence making it easier for them to participate.
However, there were some areas which the organisers could improve upon.
- As our race slot was 1pm, the blazing sun heated up most of the obstacles we encountered during the race.
- There was also insufficient water being sprayed on the obstacles, increasing the amount of friction. As a result, we struggled to slide down some of the ramps and even ended up with abrasions on our bodies.
- Likewise, with insufficient water, damp sand adhered to the surface of the obstacles. Journeying through them felt as though we were running on sandpaper.
- Additionally, the scaled down obstacles and large numbers of participants also posed another safety issue. Sand was flung onto the contestant behind you as you scaled an obstacle, hence it was a little dangerous if it came into contact with the eyes.
One advice would be for participants to wear clothes and shoes that they would not mind getting wet and dirty. This is because there would definitely be contact with sand and water, lots of sliding and jumping around! Also, never be afraid to bounce and get bounced upon. The falling and getting trapped in the obstacle made our race even more exciting.
All in all, BounceOFF! was definitely a successful and engaging event. We felt that it really catered to families with children, and was an ideal event to encourage bonding and relationship building. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!
Did you take part in BounceOFF! Which obstacles were the most challenge for you? Share with us your race experiences in the comments below.
This race review is contributed by Prescilla Ng, Cassandra Chia and Lee Hong Jiong. If you wish to share any of your race experiences with the community. Please get in touch with us.
