BORACAY, Philippines — Facing their toughest challenge yet, the Philippine Army paddlers stood up and delivered again.

Powered by six national team members, the Army rowers were put to the test by a gritty Fleet Marine side early, but a scintillating maneuver in the last 30 meters of the final race propelled the favorites to their second straight 500m men’s crown in the 5th American Tourister International Dragonbot Festival here.

Some 500 spectators along the beachfront of the Boracay Regency Beach Resort and Convention Center witnessed one of the closest races ever on Friday with the Marines nearly pulling off an upset when they engaged the defending champions in a close battle right from the blast of the starting gun shot with neither boats having a clear lead.

But the Army rowers, clad in green shirts with yellow stripes, simply owned the waters, kicking off to an extra gear at the signal of the fast-beating drummer as they torpedoed past in the final stretch to win in two minutes and 4.88 seconds.

“It was a great escape,” Sgt. Usman Anterola said of the win that delighted the expectant crowd braving the heat of summer.

It was a disappointing defeat for the Fleet Marines who finished second (2:05.43) for the second straight year. Coming third and fourth in the event presented by the Department of Tourism (DoT) and sponsored by American Tourister, an internationally-known American brand of suitcase with Manila Bulletin as one of the media partners, were Boracay Guardians (2:06.92) and Boracay All-Stars (2:09.72)

The three-day event, backed by Shangri-La Boracay and Fiarways and Bluewaters and partner Airlines SEAir and Zestair, Boracay Regency, Boracay Beach Resort, Knot Just Weddings, Nami, Boracay Realty,

Hawaiian Tropic, AND Standard Insurance, took an emotional turn when the participants, while on board of the long canoes, gifted the International Pink Sisters, a team made up of breast cancer survivors from different parts of the country, with flowers as tribute to their bravery amidst adversity.

The women’s 500m crown went to Sydney Fire Dragons (2:25.10) followed by Triton-Army (2:26.97) and BGC Story Dragons (2:27.85).

Triton-Army made up for its loss in the final of the distaff side by capturing the Mixed title in 2:11.83. Boracay All-Stars came in second (2:13.52) while Guardian Bumshells third (2:15.38).