Back to Blog

17th IDBF World Dragon Boat Championships

Submitted by Linda Kuska.   Look at how far the Breast Cancer Paddler (BCP) Division has come since it started 30 years ago in Vancouver! When I started dragon boating in 1999, we were widely accepted in community festivals but now BCP teams and paddlers can be whatever they want to be and be accepted in all levels of competition. On December 21, 2024, IDBF sent out Bulletin 1 in preparation for the 17th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Brandenburg, Germany and BCP was ...

News from Germany

We made history! For the first time ever, a BCP category was added to the 17th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Brandenburg an der Havel! We can‘t thank our IBCPC president Meri Gibson and Ute Becker-Frenzel, the president of the German Dragonboat Federation (Deutscher Drachenbootverband) enough for making a pink dream come true!BCP Team Germany was formed joining paddlers from across the country, who met in Hannover, Wolfsburg and Berlin-Grünau for training camps to prepare for...

2025 Breast Cancer Flower Ceremony

Submitted by Brenda Hochachka.  Welcome to Vancouver and to the waters of False Creek where we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Abreast In A Boat.  The story of the flower ceremony began in 1996 at our inaugural race.Before leaving for that 1st race, I noticed that a 20- year- old climbing rose bush in my garden was covered with small fuchsia flowers, enough for each paddler on our boat.  As we pulled toward the dock after our race, there was a pause in our paddling and our ...

Aix-les-Bains

The Dragon Boat Festival 2025 from 27-29 June 2025 was not just the test run for the big IBCPC Festival 2026 in this location – but also the very first appearance of the brand new Pink Ribbonettes Team from Belgium in competition mood. The Belgium breast cancer paddlers merged forces and will participate in the Festival 2026 together with some friends from France.And what a weekend it was! Within one race day, the paddlers grew from a “group of paddlers” to a real team. Already after the f...

Update from Austria

By Svenja Franke-Bruhn, Country Liaison Austria.  The Vienna Pink Dragons have enjoyed a dynamic and exciting first half of the year, participating in paddling events across Austria and beyond.We kicked off the year in January with a special trip: Julia, our current president, and I (Svenja) flew to Florida to attend the Unleash the Dragons Festival & Leadership Camp. It was a truly enriching experience—full of learning, laughter, and camaraderie. A personal highlight was meeting...

Pink Royals in Hanover

Pink Royals went a bit European and we had a half English boat from various UK teams joined by ladies from Austria, Germany and Belgium.We were very much at home with the bad weather in Germany.We raced BCP 250m races and a 2000m race which was a great battle.A great opportunity for some of the Great Britain BCP national team to paddle together in preparation for Bradenburg.Pink Dragonistas Hannover hosted a great party on the Friday for the BCP crews.It was great meeting up with special friends...

Dragons on the Falkirk Wheel

Submitted by Pauline Doyle.  After months of planning and permission requests, the date finally arrived when Port Edgar Dragons could move their small boat Emma to the Falkirk Wheel Basin in readiness for the challenge to paddle from The Falkirk Wheel to Fountainbridge and back to Bridge 8, a total of 35 miles or 56.3kms. Taking in the Falkirk wheel, the only rotating lift bridge in the world, two locks, two tunnels including the Falkirk Tunnel the longest canal tunnel in Scotland, bu...

Introducing Fiona Slevin

The IBCPC board would like to sincerely thank Marion Egan for her contribution as national representative for Ireland. Marion has chosen to stand down because of her busy schedule. We are extremely lucky to welcome as the new representative for Ireland, Fiona Slaven. We know that Ireland will be in very good hands with Fiona looking after them as she has already given us some ideas in terms of development and growth. Fiona’s bio is below. ….I am a member of the Plurabelle Paddlers which is...

Dallas United Crew

Submitted by Rachel Rossler.  This year marks a special milestone for Dallas United Crew PINK—our 10th anniversary as a breast cancer survivor dragon boat team. What began as a small group of women coming together for strength and connection has grown into a decade-long journey of resilience, camaraderie, and movement with meaning. Over the past ten years, we've trained together, raced together, and supported one another through the highs and lows of survivorship. As we reflect on ho...

Latinoamérica en Rosa

Submitted by Floribeth Campos.  With great joy and deep pride, we are thrilled to share that, for the first time ever, a Latin American composite team was formed to participate in the Concor Pacific Dragon Boat Festival held this past June in Vancouver, Canada.Our team, called “Latinoamérica en Rosa”, brought together courageous breast cancer survivors from across our region — a dream made possible thanks to the vision and initiative of Adriana Bartoli, who years ago began to pl...

Pan Am Club Crew Championships

Submitted by Louise Granahan.  “Hi, I’m 11.”“Hi, I’m 61.”That’s how Rosalie (a pseudonym) and I introduced ourselves. Rosalie is the delightful daughter of one of the amazing Vise-à-Vie paddlers that I met in Montréal at the Pan Am Club Crew Championships in July, 2025. Rosalie and I had some great conversations in the team tent, and I really enjoyed her company.When I found out that my home team wasn’t going to attend the Pan Ams in Montréal, I was heartbroken. But ...

More News from Germany

This year´s German National Championships near Halle an der Saale felt very special for many BCP, as the German breast cancer paddling community is growing but also coming closer together! In June, teams from Berlin, Halle/Leipzig, Hannover and Wolfsburg met on the Osendorfer Lake to paddle for the German trophys. Many also came to prepare for the 17th IDBF World Championships scheduled less than a month later. While competing on the water, the teams met after the races celebrating life with ...

Join the IBCPC Team!

Expression of Interest – Director, Marketing and Global Sponsorship (Voluntary Position).  The International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission (IBCPC) is seeking applications for the position of Director: Marketing and Global Sponsorship. This is a vital role within the IBCPC, is aimed at promoting and supporting the development, participation, and recognition of breast cancer paddlers (BCP) in the sport of dragon boat paddling at all levels.The Director will work closely with the...

Abreast In A Boat Marks 30 Years

Submitted by Debbie Mills, Communications Chair, Abreast In A Boat.  A Milestone EventAbreast In A Boat turns 30!  To celebrate this milestone, we invited the breast cancer paddling world to Vancouver, where it all began.  And came they did!  We welcomed 28 teams from Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Latin America to join our 6 crews as well as many alumni and supporters.It was a memorable weekend packed with camaraderie, competition and reflection.�...

Paddle Design Contest

Submit your artwork for IBCPC’s Paddle Design Contest. We will select up to 3 winning designs! Paddles will be available for sale through IBCPC’s partnership with Hornet Watersports.GuidelinesCreate artwork for one side of the paddle blade. We will put the IBCPC logo on the other side.Designs must measure 11”x3” (28cmx7.5cm). Only Vector images may be submitted.You may submit up to 2 designs.Do not reference the France Festival.All designs must be your own original artwork. You may not s...

IDBF Chart

...

Expressions of Interest

The International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission (IBCPC) is seeking applications for the position of Director: Marketing and Global Sponsorship. This is a vital role within the IBCPC, is aimed at promoting and supporting the development, participation, and recognition of breast cancer paddlers (BCP) in the sport of dragon boat paddling at all levels.The Director will work closely with the IBCPC President, Board and relevant stakeholders to advocate for and encourage participation by survi...

2026 IBCPC Festival

...

Women Alike

Submitted by Jackie MacKean.  Saying thank you never tasted so good!It was a celebratory day on April 3 at the Pictou Campus of the Nova Scotia Community College when some members of Pictou County’s Women Alike Abreast ARiver Dragon Boat Team showed up to the school with treats.Armed with fresh, hot pizzas, cold beverages and delicious, sweet cake, members of the fundraising committee turned up in the carpentry shop to say thank you to the first-year carpentry students and three females f...

We Did It!

Yes, we did it – we participated in our first international dragonboat festival and it was great! From May 16th-21st, our team took part in the 5th Barcelona International Dragon Boat Festival. What to say!? So much excitement, anticipation, racing anxiety, happiness, joy and more than anything pride! We were making the history not only for our team but for our country of Croatia as well, representing it at the international stage as the only country’s official dragon boat team. The festiv...

News from UAE

Submitted by Meri Gibson.  The United Arab Emirates is a Federation of seven emirates with Abu Dhabi as its capital. The seven Emirates are: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman. Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Kaimana, and Fujairah. The third Middle East North Africa (MENA) Dragon boat championships 2025 took place between April 11th and 13th at Al Khan Corniche beach in Sharjah UAE. The UAE is not a strong region for IBCPC member teams so I thought this would be an opportunity to visit the region whil...

Central Coast SurviveOars

Submitted by Sandy Mitchell.  On April 16, 2025, Morro Bay Maritime Museum volunteers and Central Coast SurviveOars paddlers, gathered to celebrate the completion of the Joanna’s Joy dragon boat display at the museum. Museum volunteer Roger Allen performed the ceremonial ‘Dotting of the Eyes’ to awaken the dragon, giving Joanna’s Joy the power to bring good fortune, health and prosperity to the community. Central Coast Dragon Boat Association retired Joanna’s Joy and donated her t...

Breast Cancer Research Trust

Submitted by Meri Gibson.  After each IBCPC global festival there may be some funds in reserve. This was the situation in New Zealand. As part of the Charitable Trust Constitution, which was the auspices under which the festival was organised, we are privileged to be able to support breast cancer and sports initiatives in New Zealand. One of those organisations we have supported is the Breast Cancer Research Trust based in Hamilton, New Zealand. Below is an update on some of the research wo...

News From Germany

We have meant to inform you for many months, that Svenja Franke-Bruhn, who has been busy as National Representative for both Austria and Germany as a “lone fighter” so far, will be supported by Christina Bremer as National Representative for Germany from now on. Some of you already know Christina – and we would like to introduce her to the rest of you:Christina was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 at the age of 34, luckily surviving the tumor as well as a liver metastasis, and continue...

USA Announcements

Submitted by Meri Gibson.  Betty Solley is retiring from her dragon boat administrative responsibilities as IBCPC USA's Regional Coordinator. Betty will also step away from her role as Special Interests person on the USA Dragon Boat Federation. After many years of focusing on our sport, she will turn her full attention to her first loves: a still growing family, good friends and her dragon boat team, Philadelphia Flying Phoenix Against the Wind. As Annette Johnson says, “We, in the USA br...