Gung Haggis dragon boat team on first practice of the 2011 season – lots of enthusiasm, returning and new paddlers. – photo T. Wong
Scottish Robbie Burns music and poetry
+ Chinese New Year food and culture
+ BC history with Scottish & Chinese pioneers
= Gung Haggis Fat Choy
2010
was a break through year for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team. We
started paddling in January then took a break for the Olympics. We
celebrated with a big Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner at Floata where we
first met a Chinese lass born in Scotland, who came to join the dragon
boat team, starting the string of Irish, Yorkshire, French, Belgian and
Australian visitors to Canada who came to paddle and race with us.
2010 Highlights included:
– A Division at
Lotus Races with the Community Spirit Award,
– Rec B Finals at Rio Tinto
Alcan Festival
– Silver medal in Senior B Race at Rio Tinto Alcan Festival
– Silver medal and
2nd overall at Richmond
– Top prize in the steering challenge race for free entry at 2011 Richmond Festival
– Silver Medals in C Division in Banff where we partnered with Spirit of Vancouver
– 2 teams in A Final at Ft. Langley Cranberry Festival Canoe Regatta
2011 is year 10, of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team, paddling
every year @ Alcan Races and beyond since 2002. It is also Year 15 for a
team that started in 1997 under the name Celebration Team and for which
the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner event was
created as a fundraiser for in 1998. This is the only team that has
twice won the Hon. David Lam Award for the team that best exemplifies
the multicultural spirit of the dragon boat festival (2001 & 2005)
We will paddle throughout the Summer, entering races at least once a month, and finishing with one of the most fun events on Thanksgiving weekend, Saturday October 8th – the Ft. Langley Cranberry Festival Canoe Regatta. You don't have to paddle every race. Pick and choose where and when you want to race.
May 7 – Lotus Sports Club, Burnaby – Confirmed
May 29th – Dragon Zone regatta – Confirmed
June 11/12 – Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival – Confirmed
July 16th Saturday – Richmond BC (UBC Rowing Centre) – Confirmed
July 23 Saturday -Harrison BC @ Harrison Hot Springs
Aug 13 & 14 – Vernon or Victoria – RECOMMENDED
Aug 20 – Steveston Last Gasp
Aug 27 & 28 – Kelowna DBF
Sept 10 & 11 Penticton – RECOMMENDED
Oct 9 – Ft. Langley – RECOMMENDED
Lots of smiles on the 2009 team as they paddled in lots of races throughout the year. – photo – T. Wong
We have unlimited team registration to join our “paddling and social club”
– but race events are limited to 24 paddlers + drummer + steers.
(20 paddlers in a boat + 4 spare paddlers) – we rotate everybody fairly, and nobody
sits more than one race (unless they choose, or special circumstances).
$110 Team registration includes practices, boat rental, coaching + equipment. And we have student prices!
Each race event will have a varying price depending on the cost. From $40 to $20,
as the Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival team entry
is $1800,
and Lotus Regatta in Burnaby is $500.
RTA is 2 day event with 2 races per day + special races,
one day regattas are usually only 3 races.
We have really enjoyed meeting lots of new paddlers so far this Spring
and welcoming back our veteran paddlers. Everybody has such a great positive spirit.
We want 2011 to be lots of fun, filled with new friendships + race results to rival last year:
Our
teams over 10 years have raced in Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna,
Burnaby, Richmond, Steveston, Vernon, Harrison, Cultus Lake, Ft. Langley
+ Banff AB, Kent
WA, and Portland OR….
CONTACT:
Coach and team founder Todd Wong
778*846*7090
gunghaggis at yahoo dot ca
Gung Haggis Fat Choy paddlers bite their silver medals at Richmond Dragon Boat Festival – 2nd place overall, and 1st in the steering challenge race.