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Sport Accord Summit

Submitted by Meri Gibson.What an adventure it was to be able to get to the SportAccord on time. I finished my role as Event Safety Director at the New Zealand Dragon Boat National championships, hopped in a car and drove two hours to Auckland to get ready to board a flight to Dubai with a short stop over and then on to Birmingham. I had been flying for 25 hours plus the wait time of two hours in between connections in Dubai. I arrived on a Sunday afternoon in Birmingham only to be told that I ha...

Composite Teams

Submitted by Louise Granahan.I decided to start a composite team for France 2026. This was the first time I have done this, and I learned a lot, so I wanted to share some of what I learned with you.At first, I had hoped it would be a Canadian team, but in order to fill the boat, I let in some others who were interested. It then became an international team, which is wonderful. I did not allow people to join if their own team was going unless that boat was full.When making a team, you need to be ...

Team Awards

Compiled by Louise Granahan.Does you team have an awards ceremony? Do you recognize teammates who make special contributions to your team at an end of year dinner?Here are some ideas for some serious and silly awards that you might want to hand out to say thank you to teammates and volunteers.Most SpiritedBest fundraiserBest AttitudeBest Practice Attendance AwardEnergizer Bunny (Most Energy)Best rookieIn Sync awardMost Heart for the SportCoach’s Award (good listening, shows a lot of passion)Mo...

News From Brazil

Submitted by Thays Oliveira.The year in which the Remadoras Rosa do Brasil turns 10, there is news about new teams, the return of the dragon boat in the Brazilian Canoeing Confederation and the training of athletes!Brazil is a country of great diversity, both in its physical aspects, and in its culture. Given the high growth in breast cancer cases in our country, the practice of physical activity as a determining factor in preventing and maintaining health is extremely relevant. Here in Brazil, ...

News From Chile

By Paula FaríasCeremony "El Despertar de los Dragones”On March 10, 2024 the Fortale-Senos Chile team had the honor and blessing of awakening two majestic boats, the dragon "Shenlong" and the dragoness "Idolas".This is one of the many dreams that have been fulfilled thanks to the work and commitment of each of the team members, who "DECREED" with all our strength to make these dreams come true.The Dragon "Shenlong", has a beautiful story that began in 2019. Looking for someone who was related ...

Marriages and Funerals

Submitted by Meri Gibson.In my spare time, to which most people comment “do you actually have spare time,” I am a marriage celebrant. I can conduct marriages and civil unions in New Zealand.It is an incredible privilege to be involved in such an intimate moment in people’s lives and I never for one day take that for granted. Collaborating so closely with people makes you feel like you are sharing a special secret as they prepare for their lives ahead.People who know that I am a marriage ce...

Chemo Savvy

2024 Season Off To A Strong StartThe beginning of February marks the annual start of dryland training for Chemo Savvy in Winnipeg, Canada. Although we are in the depth of winter, we are fortunate to have dedicated workout space and amazing trainers available to us at Balmoral Hall.Weekly, we will meet to work on our fitness, strength and flexibility, Spring is just around the corner, and as always, we hope for an early one so that we can hopefully get on the water sometime in May.Our team of jus...

Kit Mitsuoka

Twenty years after her breast cancer diagnosis, Kit Mitsuoka is paddling strong, and inspiring others to experience the power of the dragon…including her granddaughter Kailey!“Dragon boating is therapy for me,” said Kit. After her breast cancer diagnosis in 2003, Kit had 20 nodes removed; her arm was always sore, to the point she sometimes couldn’t lift a coffee cup. Then in 2008, her neighbor in Morro Bay, California, Jeanne L’Amoreaux, invited her to paddle with a new dragon boat tea...

Dragons Abreast Tasmania Hobart

Written and submitted by Sonja Preston, member of DATHFun, Fitness and Friendship in Tasmania, AustraliaDragons Abreast Tasmania Hobart (DATH) was the first dragon boating club in Tasmania. Now there are seven clubs.  Tasmania is a small island with a big heart, 455km off the south east coast of Australia.We’ve come a long way in the past 21 years from when a small group of breast cancer survivors decided to start a club. For the first 12 months (while waiting to get a boat) they practise...

KC Dragon Boat Festival

In 2019, the KC Pink Warriors started up in Kansas and Missouri, where no other dragon boat teams existed and dragon boat racing was almost unknown. After watching BCP teams worldwide, Kansas City female cancer survivors gathered, trained and built a team with the promise of a sport and community that would transform their lives. Five years later, with 15 festivals under our belt, we are ready to welcome the dragon boat world to Kansas City!GWN and the KC Pink Warriors are proud to present the i...

14th IDBF CCWC 2024

The International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) and the Italian Dragon Boat Federation (FIDB), cordially invite all crews from clubs affiliated to IDBF Members to participate in the 14th IDBF Club Crew World Championships (CCWC) in Ravenna, Italy from the 3rd to the 8th of September 2024. Key dates:IDBF registration system opens - 15 January 2024Provisional entries close - 18 February 2024 Confirmed entries close - 18 May 2024Final team names submission - 30 June 2024...

Pink Dragon Ladies, Tampa Bay

Submitted by Liz O’ConnellThe Pink Dragon Ladies® Celebrate 20 Years of Support Through Sport!Tampa Bay’s Pink Dragon Ladies® are marking their 20th anniversary in 2024! As the first cancer survivor team in Florida, they also celebrate the birth of BCP and ACP dragon boat racing in the state. The Pinks have watched the ripple effect as they share what they’ve learned and see new teams sprout up and then inspire other new teams.The team has good reason to celebrate – according to the IB...

News from Ireland

Words by Clodagh Flynn and Marion EganA composite team with members from Medb’s Dragon Warriors, Gráine Mhaol Dragons and Nore Dragon Paddlers were on their first adventure of 2024 at the Snow Dragon Festival in France recently. The event involves paddling a 12 crew DB on skis down a slope and across the flat to the finish line. A prestigious event with the President of the IDBF, Chinese Ambassador to France, Sylvain Munier of Dragon Boat Attitude and other dignitaries taking part in the open...

Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival

Submitted by: Michelle Thornton, Survivors Abreast member and Festival Chair.Making a Difference, One Race at a Time2023 was a record-breaking year for Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival. Last October we celebrated the single largest donation in Festival history with a cheque for $290,025.18 going towards equipment to screen, diagnose and treat breast and other cancers at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). We also reached a significant milestone in 2023, as we surpassed the $4 mill...

Pink Phoenix Portland

Submitted by Adele Honeyman, Health & Fitness ChairPre-season Fitness Challenge - Pink Phoenix Portland, Oregon USAPink Phoenix Portland Oregon USA has created a simple pre-season Fitness Challenge to encourage the team to get motivated and increase fitness levels and strength in preparation for the upcoming season.Fitness Challenge Goal: Workout for 30 minutes, 3-5 times per week, over a 6-week period.Team members are encouraged to get into the gym or at home and do a workout, which could i...

Pendragons Abreast, Perth

Submitted by Rose Glassock - Registered Psychologist on behalf of Pendragons Abreast, Penrith – Australia. Dragon boating is good for our mental health!         Positive Psychology can explain why ……Pendragons Abreast, were given the opportunity, as a part of Breast Cancer awareness month to speak at a local physiotherapy and health clinic about the benefits of dragon boating. As a psychologist I thought it would be interesting to discuss the be...

President's Report

Submitted by Meri GibsonWell, it has been another amazing three months since our last newsletter.We are lucky in New Zealand now as we right in the heart of the dragon boat season and everybody has some great regattas to attend. I have through injury been ordered by my surgeon completely out for the season, but I am living my life for vicariously by going to as many events as I can to cheer on my team and other teams.I was fortunate enough to go to Hawkes Bay to see the beautiful new boat “Kah...

Auckland Anniversary Day

Submitted by Katherine Waller Monday, January 29th, 2024, the Auckland Viaduct basin came alive with the vibrant sights and sounds of dragon boat racing as part of the 184th Oceanbridge Auckland Anniversary Day regatta celebrations. There was a lot of excitement being able to get on the water for this event due to the last 3 years being canceled due to Covid and the horrendous weather bomb that hit us last year causing devastating flooding across the city and wider areas.Cindy, one of our m...

Prince Salty

Submitted by: Heike Auel, Ladybugs GermanyLadybugs Germany: A pink tractor to support early diagnosis of breast cancerThe Ladybugs have celebrated a very special ‘pink’ event. And when I say ‘special’, that’s saying something, because … the Ladybugs, a German pink paddling team located near Dortmund, have already achieved a lot of special things. One of it: Publishing, "Are you ready? Attention! Go!", a book about pink paddling and the Ladybugs.This time, just a few days before Chris...

News from Croatia

Submitted by Dubravka Karlovic-Babic, BUBA, president and IBCPC Croatia National RepThe Croatian team (Dragonboat Klub Zadar DBKZ or as we call ourselves Zmajke) had its last water training on November 4th, 2023. Due to inclement sea conditions we decided to take our boats out of the lagoon where we paddle onto the dry land.Luckily, we have free access to the community gym thanks to the city of Zadar department for sports. Hence, we started our dryland /gym training at the beginning of November ...

Catch-22 Ospreys

Submitted by Paula ZellarsThe Catch-22 Ospreys breast cancer team, located in Vancouver, Washington, recently came together for a lovely French repas-partage as they excitedly began preparing for the IBCPC regatta in Aix-les-Bains.The dinner was held in the lovely home of one of our teammates with the host and hostess looking very chic in their berets.  The atmosphere was quite French with swags of the French triclore on the windows and blue, white, and red napkins and plates in addition to...

Manchester Dragoneers

Submitted by Karen Birch...

Chemo Savvy

Submitted by Brenda Millan (Chemo Savvy)Celebrating off the Water2023 was a very busy year for Chemo Savvy. We had a much-awaited clinic with Kamini Jain in the spring. Two local festivals (in Winnipeg), a bus trip to Bemidji, Minnesota (got to hang out with a wonderful local BCS team), and a pre-pandemic planned trip to Montreal for the Quebec Cup.As a team we like to party and are known for our dance parties (even on zoom if necessary). This December we got together to celebrate the holidays a...

France Bulletin #3

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New Constellation

Submitted by Mariana Fernandez Semhan and Mathilda YahniSaben una cosa, cuando miro al agua, automáticamente miro al cielo y me pregunto: ¿el cielo quiere ostentar una nueva constelación al agua o el agua se ondula insistente para llamar la atención del cielo? Cielo, agua, agua, cielo.Como sea, en este ritual entre el agua y el cielo existe un lugar sagrado. Una constelación perdida sin nombre. Un lugar festivo y caudaloso. Un sitio bullicioso custodiado por un dragón, donde se reúnen un ...