Gung Haggis + PYROS Filipino team in action at ADBF on Sunday


I finally found a picture of us on the net….

http://www.dragonboatwest.net/forum/index.php?topic=3497.msg35302#msg35302

Sunday morning race… The PYROS boat was packed with Gung Haggis
paddlers…  I wish this could have been true for the Rec F final…

This picture is from the Rec F semi-final.  The team came 1st, and
qualified for the Rec F Championship, where they won a Bronze medal.

While the top arm technique is varying… the timing is good. 
We are out of the water all at the same time…

Look at the lead strokes and all the Filipino paddlers – notice how
their outside wrist is slightly curled inwards – this is an outrigger
paddling technique that helps hasten a quick exit from the water.
Notice how low their paddles are to the water, as they exit and start
their recovery – minimum wasted energy.  Our paddles are flying
high all over the place!

We had a nice practice on the water tonight… we paddled all the way
to Granville Island, to the Alder Bay dock that the FCRCC uses. 
On the way beside Granville Island, we did the “eyes closed”
exercise.  The team kept good timing, and even did a power series
with eyes closed.  When they opened their eyes, people were amazed
that they were no longer on False Creek's main channel, but around the
corner at Alder Bay, beside all the Southside condos.

For the last 30 minutes we gave the boat over to Joseph of the PYROS
team, and he gave some paddling instructions to give us more power. 
Key thing – get the paddle in sooner and deeper.  Big reach… and
quicker recovery.  Joseph knows we can get much more power out of our
team.

I swear… the boat was really flying at times tonight.  You could really feel a strong surge in the boat.

Looking forward to our next race!

no practice this Friday….    see everybody on Sunday 1pm.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team meets sucess and challenges at Alcan Dragon Boat Festival

Combined Gung Haggis Fat Choy Kogawa House and Pyros dragon boat teams at ADBF 2006 – photo courtesy of Deb Martin

Thank you very much to the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Kogawa House dragon boat team for one of my
most fun and challenging dragon boat weekends.  I love that our paddlers are
enjoying the experience and are not only exploring new opportunities –
but also want to do better!


It was a weekend full of promise and fun with lots of highlights.
– we were interviewed by CBC French Television & Radio
– proud that Constance stood up and did a wonderful media interview in French
– we had extra races with Philipino team – winning a bronze medal
– Ann-Marie becoming the “Keeper of the Dragon Puppet”
– dinner at the Foo's Ho Ho restaurant on Saturday night – good bonding
and chinese history lessons + watching Edmonton beating Carolina on TV!
– we got new kilts and sashes
– Jim wearing Kilt and sash with pride, and introducing his parents who
took pictures (another parent introduction – following Deb's mom, and
Jonas' parents)
– we were bagpipe serenaded with “Scotland the Brave” by corporal Norris
– Steven Wong paddled on a 50+ team and won!
– Friday night at Brasilia Exotica – the team is serenaded by Todd and Marian on accordion.
– Having friend/steers/co-coach Bob Brinson join us for the weekend.
– Kristine, Dave, Gurmeet, Teresa, Jennifer and Marian hanging out with us, even though they were rostered on other teams.
– introducing Gung Haggis to the many coaches and paddlers that I have
previously coached or worked with – who are on many of the top teams
now.

There were also challenges that arose, and we had to rise to meet them.
And in the end… Maybe our views of dragon boat paddling and teams
have changed, and maybe we are ready for that next level.  It was great
to watch the final Championship races and the “Gut and Glory” race with
so many of our team members.  And have Deb yelling for “Wasabi!” –
cheering on our friends.

As
a team, I know we have grown. Many of us openly and willingly make
contributions and sacrifices for our team.  And that is good.

Todd Wong displays his new Fraser “sport” tartan, beside dragon boat buddy James Yu, who wears his “sarong.” – photo Deb Martin


Hosting the Philipino team was both an added bonus and distraction. 
Helping to manage and roster the team for each race, took energy away
from our team, but it also gave our paddlers opportunities to: paddle
more races; step up individual and team leadership; and have an added
sense of purpose!   To see our paddlers spontaneously trading or
giving their Gung Haggis shirts with the PYROS paddlers was wonderful. 
It truly demonstrated that I have always described our team as
“good-hearted people with good spirits”.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy Kogawa House dragon boat team finished 5th in our
morning race on Saturday and 7th in our afternoon race.  There had
been a near collision, in lanes 2 and 3, which probably resulted in us
finishing 5th in the race, instead of our seed 8 position.  It
probably bumped us up to Division E, instead of F.

For our Sunday morning race, we loaned about 10 paddlers, + drummer to
the Phippine team races at 8:55.   They finished in 1st
place, setting them up to race in the Recreation F Division
championships.

Our strongest paddlers were already warmed up when we raced for the
Division F semi about 30 minutes later. It was a good race, and while 4
boats finished ahead of us, we had to wait to find out who if our 5th
place finish was faster than the other 5th place finisher, which turned
out to be the O2P team.

For the afternoon, I would have loved to have put many of our paddlers on the Philipino
team to race for a medal in F division final – but it was impossible –
teams were on different boats, and the races were back to back.  If we
had paddled well enough in our morning race to make the E Final… then
we could have done it (returning in a Gemini boat, and hopping to the
next Gemini boat).  This is fun racing… getting in as many races as
you can… and we will be able to do it at smaller festivals throughout
the summer – like we did at Barnet earlier this year.

For the Philipine team, I selected our paddlers who were dedicated to
the Philipine team + additional paddlers from Chilliwack, O2P,
Conquering Waves and Roli.  They meshed toghter 5 different team
styles and made it to 3rd place finish despite paddle classhes, paddle
pullouts and a messy timeing.  But they all received medals for
their efforts.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team had a tougher go for the Rec E
finals…  Despite being a favored seed (lane 5), we fell behind
at the midpoint, and finished 8th.

I thank the team for trusting me to make the best decisions
possible for our rostering for Gung Haggis and PYROS races, plus our
Gung Haggis team activities and events.    The PYROS paddlers have been
invited to our next practices and King, has offered a coaching session
(he lives in Vancouver now and hopefully he may join our team!)

Working with other teams.
At Barnet Race, we assisted with a Chilliwack team, at the Women's
regatta we paddled with a Tacoma team, at ADBF we assisted with the
PYROS team.  Last night after the races… I was asked if I would bring
the team down to Portland for the  6-16 dragon boat race at Sellwood
Park.  This invitation is from Jim Ketcham who paddles with Wasabi and
the US National team, and paddled with us in Portland in 2003.  Jim
said that if we don't have a full team – he will top us off with
ringers.  Jim McArthur of Lotus club was enthusiastic when I asked him
if we can bring the team and the Philipino paddlers to try some
outrigger canoe paddling at Barnet Marine Park with Lotus Club.

This is an example that top organizers, paddlers and teams love what we
do as a team in terms of community building, and it gives us the
opportunity to work with some great teams and paddlers.

Coach and Steers Todd Wong, with
drummer Deb Martin – the management team of Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon
boat team – photo courtesy of Deb Martin's camera

Coming up –
July 1st – Barrel racing in Seattle – with Tacoma DBA
July 15th – Seattle / Kent Dragon boat Race (Tacoma wants to “host” us
July 22/23 – Vernon DBF – canoes and kayaks at Deb's parents house

Aug 12 – Women's regatta at Cultus Lake
Sept 2/3  – Vancouver International Taiwanese Race (which Bob Brinson and I helped to found)
Sept 9  Penticton or Sept 10 ? Portland???

Please bring $$$  for summer paddling.
$100 per person includes:  boat rental / coaching + 1 event.
other events are $30 each.

I want to have 2 teams for Taiwanese race (advanced + beginner).

Saturday at the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival.

We came 5th in our 1st race #18 at 11:07,  then we came 7th in our last race in race 42.
Everybody is having fun.

We are helping the Philipine Youth Rowing Society PYROS paddle and find paddlers, and give them info.

We were interviewed today by CBC French Television.  Constance is
our paddler who moved from Quebec a few years ago.  I also spoke
some french.  “Je peux parler en francais pleux mieux que je parle
en chinoise.”


The Philipino Youth Rowing Society is paddling…
#55 at 8:55am.
F semi-final

We are racing at 9:28
#58 


E semi final – Race 58

Please be at the race tent by 7:30am.
We will need to prepare mentally and do a warmup, from 7:45 to 8:15,
We will marshall at 8:20, we will be on the water at 8:35.

Please check e-mail later tonight… and early in the morning.

Afternoon races…
worst case scenario
We race in F Consolations at  12:35pm
or F Championships at           12:26
E
Consolations          12:57
E Championships       1:08

Of particular interest….
stay to watch the incredible final races for

Comp C    2:47
Comp B    2:58
Com A      3:09
Breast Cancer Challenge   3:20

Open Division        3:53
Women's Division  4:04   – My favorite womens
teams”  False Creek Women from Vancouver, and Wasabi Team Huge
from Portland WA

Followed by Guts & Glory 2km race

Followed by AWARDS Presentations.
around 5pm to 6pm.

WE WANT TO BE ON THE AWARDS PODIUM!

Last year were were there to receive the Hon. David Lam Multicultural Award!!!

Gung Haggis team getting ready for ADBF weekend!!!

We are TENT #41 – in racer's village
We are hanging out with the “P's” – because we have been assigned next to the Phillipine Youth Rowing Society.  We are helping to host the PYROS team.

PYROS has brought at least 12 paddlers as of today. They will need more paddlers to help them.

Their first race is #10 at 9:39
I will be there on site earlier than 9am.
I will check with them…
If anybody is ready to go – please meet at tent by 8:30pm

Otherwise – please meet by 9am.  Our first race is 11:07.
But… things could go early.  We need to start warm ups by 10 am and be ready to marshal by 10:20am.
Our second race could be in race #40 (if we finish 4th or 7th) or race # 42 if we finish 2nd or 5th, or race # 44 if we finish 3rd or 6th)

Cool Stuff

ADBF VIP party
Steven Wong & I were at the ADBF VIP party until 8pm
We said hello to his baby brother Peter, who is former chair of the ADBF, and also to his uncle Milton, who is one of the founders of the ADBF.
Also there… Larry Ho, ADBF race organizer and dragon boat coach, who has offered a guest coaching session for Gung Haggis. 
City Councilor Heather Deal… who bikes everywhere… and one day I will get into a dragon boat.
Sonny Wong, former manager of ADBF, who also was best man at my wedding (in a previous lifetime).
Don Montgomery, executive director of Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society, also known as explorASIAN – Don has done all of the festival programming for the CBC World Beat Stage.
Jessica Jade Chan – editor for Ricepaper magazine
Brian Sullivan – vice-president for explorASIAN / VP for UBC Student Services (Brian loves the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners, and always invites a table full of students)
Joy Lin-Salzberg – President of explorASIAN
Brian Veitch and Denaly Barrera of Storyeum – we chatted about the possibility of hosting an event for Chinese head tax payers, spouses and descendents at Storyeum


More Cool Stuff…
We met some of the team members at Brasila Exotica restaurant tonight for some dinner
organized by Julie and Wendy….
I brought my accordion to the restaurant and played a few songs.
(O Solo Mio, Beer Barrel Polka, Hungarian Dance #5)
Then Marian played accordion too… (She played Loch Lomand and I sang)
Did you know that Marian is a music teacher?
Did you know that Marian teaches accordion?
How did she find herself with the Gung Haggis team where the coach also plays the accordion!!!

Beware… the nickname committee starte up tonight at the restaurant
I think my nickname is “Todderful”

Sunday visit to Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens, dim sum and dragon boats

The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team has a tradition of visiting the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens, learning some Tai Chi exercises, then incorporating Chinese concepts of harmony and balance, yin and yang into our dragon boat practice.

The Chinese Classical garden in Vancouver is named after Dr. Sun Yat Sen, known as the “father of modern China.”  My great-great grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan, met Dr. Sun Yat Sen on at least 1 of his 3 visits to Vancouver to help develop support for the revolution that overthrew the last imperial dynasty of China to create democratic reform in China.

My cousin Joe Wai was the architect for the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Garden, which is modeled after gardens in Suchow, China.

Check out events at the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Gardens such as the Enchanted Evenings music series, founded by my friend Qiu Xia He, leader of Silk Road Music.

Highlights of Sunday's dragon boat practice were:

Tour and Qi Gong exercise at Dr. Sun Yat Sen Garden.

We experienced harmony and balance in the garden, along with Chinese history in Canada and China.
Steven Wong and myself explained Chinese yin yang  concepts and put them into dragon boat context.
Steven taught our group Qi Gong energy and breathing exercises to help enhance health and body performance.

Todd
demonstrated exercises to help improve physical performance using
“muscle testing” and demonstrated “use of force” exercises, to help use
body position to enhance performance.

Dim Sum at Floata Restaurant.
We
had “dragonboat sticky rice dumplings” – known as “Jung” in Cantonese,
and Zhong in Mandarin.  We also had ha-gau (shrimp dumpling), sue-mei
(pork dumplings), BBQ pork + spicy jelly fish, + lots more!  Floata is
where I have hosted the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New
Year dinner in 2005 and 2006.  Paddlers were surprised to see so many
restaurant managers and assistant managers coming to say “Hello Mr.
Wong.”

Dragon Boat practice

Unfortunately
Joy Kogawa wasn't able to attend today's practice – but two Chinese
language reporters showed up.  And one took pictures of the team in the
boat, for the World Journal.

17 paddlers + 2 visitors from Quebec (Juliet's friends)

We
worked on race scenarios.  And did 2 full race pieces and 1 mini race
piece.  We lowered the stroke rate, and everything felt real good and
real strong.  Our drummer Deb was really happy.  She said it was the best she had
ever seen.

Alcan Dragon Boat races:  Gung Haggis Fat Choy Kogawa House first race in #18 heat, 11:07am

For Race information:
got to:  http://www.adbf.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=downloads.listbycat&catid=5

Please go by the race number – if the races are running late or early, we will still be in the same race number.

Race #18   – Gemini Boat – 11:07 am

lane 2  –  Dragon Hearts CCPC
lane 3  – Kryptic Storm
lane 4  – Lotus Sports Club Mixed
lane 5  – Dragon Hearts Team Ultimate
lane 6 –  Wasabi Warriors
lane 7  –  Dragon's Breath
lane 8 – Gung Haggis Fat Choy Kogawa House

5th place to race #42 – 3:45pm
6th place to race #44 – 4:07pm
7th place to race #40 – 3:23pm

Okay…. how does this work?
This is a seeding race, with top seed placed in lane #5, then lane #4, #6, # 3, # 7, #2, #8, #1, #9. 
Teams have been pre-ranked according to abilitiy and race finishes from
this year and last year.  So… we are expected to finish in 7th place,
whilte the top seed is expected to win the race. 

The 2nd race in the afternoon further is supposed to confirm we are in
the lower half,  or percentile of the 150 teams entered in the Adult
Mixed division.

Then on Sunday morning we will be in semi-finals for either
Competitive A, Comp B, Comp C, or Recreation A, B, C, D, E, F… etc. 
Sunday afternoon race is for a medal, or bragging rights in the
consolation final.

The idea of these seeding races is to presort all the teams according
to some sort of “magical formula” so that every team will be in a race
with teams their own performance ability for the final races on
Sunday.  With 140 adult teams + 31 Junior teams 46 adult teams in Pool
A, 46 in Pool B, and 45 in Pool C for 137 adult teams + 31 Junior teams
+ 5 Grandmaster teams – logistics can be a nightmare…  or at least
keep you awake at night.  I was on the ADBF race committeee for 2001,
2002 and 2003.

Trust that the top 18 teams will be sorted out for Comp A Division, 
the next 18 for Comp B, then Comp C.  then Rec A to F.  Hmmm…. 8 X 18
= 144.  not too far off from 137.

Expect to come 6th, 7th or 8th in Saturday races, then on Sunday
morning semi-finals… 1st to 4th gets us into into the medal round. 
5th to 9th goes to the consolation.