Gung Haggis Fat Choy teams at the Ft. Langley Cranberry Festival Canoe Regatta. It is one of our favorite events of the year, and the weather was with us. We have raced for about 10 years, and the last 5 years we have always entered two teams. We initiated the Chili contest at the race to encourage teams to mingle, and ensure paddlers had hot food nearby. It’s so much fun, and we enjoy sharing our experience with our paddling friends.
There were 20 teams entered and 3 final divisions. Gung Haggis See Yu was captained and steered by Todd and Harvey, came a very close 4th in C Final by a half second, and finished 14th in final standings. Gung Haggis Fam Lee was captained and steered by Karl and Xavier and finished 17th in final standings, while finishing 5th in the B Final.
Sybil holds the pumpkin to drop in the first race. It was her first time in the Canoe Regatta. She joined our team for the Steveston Race, mid-summer.
Harvey steered while Todd is lead stroke. Good picture of our team as we race towards the bridge and finish line.
Todd seat 1, seat 3 – Remus and Sean, 3 – Sabina and Reni, 4 – Christian and Johnny, 5 – Maggie and Liz.
“Here little pumpkin… come to daddy!” Remus scoops the pumpkin with two hands, while another boat collides with us. Harvey did an excellent job of steering and blocking the other team from the pumpkin. We are a great lead stroke & steers combination, and switched positions for the 2nd race – just because… it was fun!
Sean wearing his red kilt, runs along the beach, balancing a glass of cranberry juice on his paddle, while Harvey had steered our boat inbetween another boat and it’s runner. Great strategic move to cut them off… and delay their runner getting back in the boat.
Xavier steers our other team with Karl in seat 1, seat 2 is Anne and Debbe, 3 – Thuy and Di, 4 – Florian and Nicolas, 5 – Stewart and Jenny.
3 boats in search of a pumpkin. Unfortunately most of the boats headed to the North/Centre portion of the bridge, while most of the pumpkins dropped from the Centre South portion of the bridge. Lots of boat collisions and confusion. We shouted down at Xavier to go South to find pumpkins. Team Storm had their lead stroke Ray, dressed up as a pumpkin.
So close and yet so far… too bad voyageur canoes aren’t designed to be paddled sideways.
Almost there now…
Di was the beach runner for the team, and she chose to wear the knee-length blue Fraser Hunting Tartan. She did a great job climbing in and out of the boat, and balancing the cranberry juice on her paddle.