for articles on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team:see http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2006/3/29/1847817.html
Hi everybody,
Lots of fun with the obstacle course.
We had a great start going through the slalom… until I realized I had
run out of buoys, and wondered what I was supposed to be doing.
First instructions said, go to the right of the first buoy… I went to the right of the buoy marked “1”
(Oh… they meant go past the the yellow buoy, and go to the right of the orange buoy with the little boat taped to it.”
Instructions said “Go around the squatter boats.”
So… I headed around the squatter boats…
I didn't realize I had already done that with the little boats taped to the buoys in the slalom course – duh!”
Our final race time was 6:3? most teams were finishing in 4:?? or
5″?? Obviously the later teams would do better after watching the
first teams. We were the 3rd team out there, and so we did not
have much of a chance to see what the other teams were doing, or to
plan for it. Winner of the $3000 draw prize was Team Momentuum – an all
women's recreational team – which proved that everybody had a chance to
win.
Anyways…. sorry for making you all paddle so much.
We had fun, Great spirit on the team, very welcoming to the paddlers
from CBC, Hydro Dragons + Coro from Abreast in a Boat. These
paddlers were very appreciative of being welcomed in and felt
comfortable to do more races with us – such as possibly Harrison and
Vernon. Wonderful expression of Gung Haggis warmth and spirit!
Great jobs to the three sets of lead paddlers, Everybody did a fine
job… Deb gave us great humour and confidence. Steering was good
(other than the slalom course). Picking up the plastic animal –
that was funny! We did a good job!
Our time for the 1000 m. was 6:57. Lots of teams finished 5:??
one team did 7:00+ Team Sauder with more paddlers than us. We did
very well with 16 paddlers.
Not sure of the times for the 250m or 500m races. Again – very
decent for 17 paddlers. We used the regatta to have fun and
change up lead strokes for each race. People responded to the
challenges. Everybody is learning to paddle “outside the box.”
I'd do it again – that was fun!
But I would still complain that the Saturday regatta format is not kind
to novice or low-level recreation teams like us – who constantly must
lose for the benefit of the Comp and Hi-Rec teams.
We race next week for medals at Harrion Lake in the inaugural Fraser Vally Dragon Boat Festival.
Cheers, Todd
RESULTS
Saturday
500 Metre Final – 6-16 Boats – Winner gets 2006 Alcan Entry
1. 1:58.720 FCRCC Mixed
2. 2:00.350 Pacific Reach
3. 2:10.180 Specialty Subaru WRX
4. 2:11.750 TD Lightning
DragonZone practice prize goes to Vancity Thunder.
Sunday
Obstacle Course 6-16
Pacific Reach had overall fastest time at 4:03.xxx.
Team Momentum was winner of $3000 prize.
for articles on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team:see http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2006/3/29/1847817.html