DIVE LESSONS AND RELEASING TURTLES

Bali, 8 September 2008 - As an additional event within the Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic boasting a prize of US$ 225.000, The Westin Resort Nusa Dua Bali hosted an off court event by inviting players for a dive class and the releasing of turtles on teh beach front.
    
Only the Indian tennis player Shikha Uberoi took the opportunity to do diving lessons guided by Sandy from Dugong Dive in the hotels’ pool. Sandy and Anwar gave a brief introduction on diving sports to Uberoi, starting from equipments for breathing, mask, fins and how to breath through the regulator. Previously, they provided some input on how to breath under water, regulate the breathing and how to swim using the scuba dive equipment.



Afterwards, the players were invited to lunch and prize giving for various tennis age groups held continuously by The Westin Resort Nusa Dua. Those giving the prizes were Slovakian tennis player, Daniela Hantuchova assisted by Miss Bali 2008, Ayu Diandrasari. According to the General Manager of Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bipan Kapur, this tournament is part of The Westin Resort Nusa Dua’s social responsibility for tennis development in Bali. It also shows their support towards the Commowealth Bank Tennis Classic tennis tournament held annually in Nusa Dua, Bali.
   
Turtles were also released as the hotel’s commitment towards social responsibility in preserving sea creatures. Tennis players participating in this special event are expected to become Turtle preservation ambasadors as well as spreading out information about Bali’s situation and condition to the world. Rainata Tjoa, Director of Marketing Communications The Westin Resort Nusa Dua admits, these tennis players will eventually become “public relations” for Bali at the international level.
   
Tennis players such as Nadia Petrova, Francesca Schiavone, Melinda Czink, Natalie Grandin, Jill Craybas, Akgul Amanmuradova, and Anna-Lena Groenefeld also released turtles at the beach. Flavia Pennetta, Patty Schnyder and Tamira Paszek also released baby turtles.



During the event, she hoped that the players could become an example of concern for turtle habitat preservation, bearing in mind that turles in Bali are a proetcted species.  One sea turtle can only lay eggs after the age of 30.  The tennis players released 60 Ridel turtles originating from turtle conservation in the Western Coast of Bali managed by Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam Bali.

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