The Grand Finals (Part 2c) - Ending With A BANG!

[Updated 3rd July: 2 New Videos!]

[Continuation from Part 2b]

A lot of people have asked me... What's the best experience of Miracle for me? Did we join the competition to win it? To me, it isn't all about winning it, but do you know what made the journey this year so much more worth it for us, besides raising money for charity?


Our supportive friends!

It's because of the FRIENDS that we have, that have been supporting us along our way!

And in the midst of collecting donations, all of us certainly did not forget to have our FUN along the way.







Mak! Hantu!!

Cheap cheap massage for charity, sir?

Meet Brian, the Miracle Peacock :P

After our performance at 1pm, the team and most of our close friends were helping us out with the cash donation boxes. Some took their boxes and walked around the shopping mall for donations, while the rest took turns to take a break, having their quick lunch and resting before heading out to help us with our boxes.

Some members of the gang also took sometime off to join the new releases... Not wanting to miss out on their favourite Les Mills classes!


Darryl, Simon and Patrick in BodyCombat!

The RATTs, being the first team to qualify for the Finals, have been given the opportunity to join 2 of the new Les Mills launch classes for free - the one being BodyVive at 1030am in the morning (incidentally the FIRST launch class of the day) and the other being BodyJam and at 615pm in the evening (which is the LAST new launch class of the day!).



The Jam Launch Team - Juwita, Azie, Leo, Kim, Su Lin, Ken, Shane, Stephen and Anthony

The RATTs and most of our BJ-loving friends joined the Jam class... And wow! It was fantastic!


The Thorns with Juwita, Leo, Azie and You.

This new release of Jam is quite tricky, and is quite challenging, since some of the moves in this release are very fast and furious! Definately one of the most challenging releases to date! And the Butterfly turn... Whoa! Becareful or you might hit someone!

After the Jam class ended, it was the last team to perform - IOI Raiders from FF IOI Mall. They performed a dance to the song Chihuahua, and their costumes were quite dazzling. Hehe.


The Thorns in their matching black Jam outfits!

After their performance was over, it was a moment that some of us have been waiting for... While some of them have been dreading for... It's the CHARITY AUCTION TIME!

If I'm not mistaken, the first one up on stage to be auctioned, was no other than everybody's favourite Combat instructor, Calvin C!


The RATTs and friends watching the Charity Auction

The RATTs pulled our coupons together, and we managed to bid and bought Calvin C for RM 250! And he'll be doing BodyJam with us on Monday, June 30th here at the Curve at 620pm! Don't miss it! :D


Kenny leading the none-Jammin' instructors to Pussycat Dolls' "Don't Cha"!


A very sporting bunch of instructors :P

In the meantime, during the Blood, Sweat and Tears complimentary class after that, we were informed to get ready to get on stage - there was a possibility that we were required to perform again if we won the best performance of the day!

The guys took to the showers for a quick shower before donning their performance hip-hop wear again...


The RATTs posing with Osman

And soon, we were back at the side of the stage, waiting for the Blood, Sweat and Tears class to end... We were not sure what would happen, we were not sure if they were going to announce the winners right then, but I guess we just stayed cool, and took more pics :P


With our dearest friends and supporters!

The RATTs with Stephen!

Soon after that, once the class was over, RUSH Teams were invited up the stage and were introduced to the public by Jacqueline and Eric, the emcee's for the evening.


All the RUSH teams onboard!

Teams were being introduced to the public, and I guessed we received the loudest cheers. On stage, we were being asked by Eric how did we ended up with our name and I explained the two reasons behind it :-

First, we initially thought that the RUSH Challenge would be something like an Amazing Race styled-challenge and resembling a rat race, and secondly, the name of our group is based on the fact that we have only one girl in the team with four guys, and by playing around with the English proverb, we came up with the name "The Rose Among The Thorns" and the acronym being "The RATTs". At first the name wasn't as catchy as I thought it would be, but later on, it proved to be a very nice name that we all liked very much!


Colin explaining the origins of our team name, The RATTs

Soon after that, the results of the team performances throughout the day was to be announced - and we have to say good job to our fellow friends from the other 6 teams - Disney from Leisure Mall, Sunshine and Tropical 5 from Manulife, IOI Raiders from IOI Mall, Cheerz from Summit and Yee Haa from Maxis for a job well done!


The RATTs with Jacq

Soon, the results were being announced and the top two teams left were Yee Haa from Maxis and our team... And it was pretty nerve-wrecking....


Team Yee Haa and The RATTs...

And soon... Everyone on the floor was waiting in anticipation... We were too... As Alvin announced the team that won the best performance... is...

THE RATTS! :P


Woo hoo!

This performance win is being dedicated by all of us to all of our loving and supportive friends out there... Who's been with us throughout our entire journey from the very beginning to the Grand Finals...


Our dearest friends watching and cheering us on!

And on a personal note, I'd like to dedicate this win to our choreo-master, Simon for a job most well done, for coming up with the overall idea concept and for choreographing the steps of the most challenging hip-hop I've ever done in my life. And thanks for helping me to lose 5kgs... Haha.

Simon, this is for you :)

So yeah, being the winners of the team performance of the day, we were given another chance to perform for our dearest friends who've waited for so long for the results... Some have been there for close to 10 hours already, and guys, this performance is for YOU!



Ending with a BANG!







We dedicate our final performance to you, our dearest friends, supporters and family!

We'd like to take the opportunity here to thank the people behind the scenes for giving us a second chance to perform for our dearest friends... Whom have made this journey a most memorable one!

For me, one of the best moments of the entire journey was during the final performance... The moment we struck our final pose and the confetti shot up... We felt like we really did achieve something great, and the confetti shower was like a grand acknowledgement from the crowd for a job most well done. Thanks guys! :)


The Confetti Poppers!

After the performance, here comes the moment that ALL of us have been waiting for... The final results of the Fitness First Miracle RUSH Challenge... Although we were the first team to qualify for the finals with an unexpected score of 17500 points, nearly tripling our 2nd place friends, Team Disney from Leisure Mall, but the truth is, despite winning the performance, we were not sure whether we have won the RUSH Challenge this year.

Alvin announced the positions from the 7th place till 3rd place which was won by Team Sunshine from Manulife. Team Disney was placed 4th overall. And the two strongest teams are left to fight it out for the first place... Team IOI Raiders and The RATTs...


IOI Raiders and The RATTs...

All of our friends sat in front of the stage... In suspence... And on stage, all 5 of us were kinda nervous too, although truth be told, we know that we have collected RM 20,000.00 in overall contributions, but would that be enough?

And then Alvin announced the much-guarded results that everyone have been wanting to hear...

He mentioned that the second place team accumulated nearly 22 thousand points, while the first place team accumulated over 30 thousand points... And from that moment on I knew, we didn't win the RUSH Challenge... As we overall had approximately 21,870 points (we did manage to collect approximately RM 4370 in cash during the day) and it was no where close to the large amount that was collected by IOI Raiders during the final week leading to the Grand Finals.



The RATTs clapping for IOI Raiders

We congratulate IOI Raiders for a great job... They have raised over RM 30,000.00 for charity! Collectively, with the other other RUSH teams including The RATTs, we have raised more than RM 60,000.00 for charity!


The RUSH team group pic - We raised over RM 60,000.00!

That's nearly four times the amount raised last year! And all raised by the RUSH teams alone and we smashed their overall contribution target for the event!




The RATTs posing with our prizes with Riyo and Ken

Although we didn't win the competition, we hoped that all of our dearest friends, fans, supporters and family enjoyed our final performance as much as we did rehearsing and practising for it... You guys were awesome, thanks for the cheers and support along our journey, we couldn't have done it without you guys!


The RATTs with the people behind our whole team!


It's a RATTs village - All our friends and supporters!

In the end, people ask me, how would I generally rate my overall experience of Miracle 2008... I'd say that although we didn't win, but I guess all of us involved in the process and journey took so much from it... And we emerged as winners in our own right... Raising RM 20,000.00 and smashing our collection target by 4 times is not an easy feat, as as the team leader for The RATTs I'd like to take to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of you, for helping and supporting us either directly or indirectly. You guys rawk!


It's a BIG HUG!


A tight Thorns hug!

In the journey, of which I'm most fortunate to share it with my closest mates, it has helped us to get closer and our friendship bond is now stronger than ever.

Many people have asked me and my teammates... What happens to The RATTs now that Miracle is over? Well, my answer is that our journey hasn't quite ended... In fact it's just the beginning, and we all look forward to see you in Miracle 2009!


The RATTs saying THANKS for all the great time!


Posted by: Colin
Text by: Colin
Vid by: Osman
Pics by: Osman, Mike, Le Roy, Eugene, Jason, Natalie, Azie and others!