Kuching Pickleball Association secures major sponsors

The Kuching Pickleball Association (KPA) has announced an impressive lineup of sponsors and partners for the upcoming Borneo Pickleball International Tournament (BPIT) 2024, set to take place from 8–14 October at PIKABOL,

Asia’s largest purpose-built indoor pickleball court in Kuching.

This event marks a significant milestone for Pickleball in Malaysia and is supported by both the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP) and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak (MYSED).

Strong backing for Pickleball growth

The BPIT 2024 has attracted a range of high-profile sponsors, underscoring the growing popularity of pickleball in the region.

The Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) leads as the Gold Sponsor, with Silver Sponsors including WTK Holdings Sendirian Berhad, Sarawak Energy Berhad, Skechers, and PIKABOL. Bronze Sponsors include Odysportsz, Decor Hauz Interior, and Starbucks.

Official partners for the event include Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) in collaboration with The Hills Kuching and Dayak Daily, CPH Travel and Tours, Hemisphere Corporation, Malaysia Airlines, and the Sarawak Tourism Board.

This collective support highlights the strong industry backing for pickleball’s development in Sarawak.

Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, praised the collaboration.

“We need more innovative ideas and partnerships like the one between the Kuching Pickleball Association and their partners to develop their sport and make it a contender for contests such as Sukan Malaysia and Sukan Sarawak.

The strong support from diverse industries and organisations brings Sarawak closer to being a sports powerhouse.”

Pickleball community and social responsibility

The tournament not only focuses on sports but also emphasises community outreach. Amelia Roziman, CEO of BESarawak, highlighted the inclusion of the “Books Build Legacy” book donation drive as the official corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme for the event.

“We are collaborating to collect 2,000 children’s books in support of rural primary and secondary schools in Sarawak. We hope that players, spectators, and the public can help us reach our target,” Roziman said.

Ruslan Bujang, President of the Kuching Pickleball Association, emphasised the broader vision for pickleball’s future: “BPIT’s sponsors and partners share our vision of growing the sporting community, working together to support and nurture athletes and enthusiasts alike.

Their contributions will shape the future of pickleball in Sarawak and Malaysia. Our goal is for pickleball to reach international standards, positioning Sarawak as a leader in sports development.”

The Borneo Pickleball International Tournament is the largest pickleball event in Malaysia and Borneo, expecting 1,500 spectators and 500 players competing for a prize pool of RM20,000. The tournament will feature three main categories:

• Team Event: Mixed Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Men’s Doubles, Veteran Doubles, and Men’s Singles with prizes ranging from RM1,250 to RM10,000.
• Individual Event – Veteran: Open to all gender combinations, with prizes ranging from RM125 to RM1,000.
• Individual Event – Novice: Open to all gender combinations, with Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals up for grabs.

Additionally, 20 lucky draws from Skechers and Starbucks will be available for all players and registered spectators on the final day.

Registration is open until 31 August 2024, with 80% of the target already reached, featuring participants from Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines.

Teams and individuals interested in joining must register for a Pickleball Global ID at https://pickleball.global/.

Regular tournament updates can be found at https://www.facebook.com/BorneoPickleball/ (@BorneoPickleball).