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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...

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...

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...

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...

Vienna Pink Dragons

Submitted by Svenja Franke-Bruhn, National Representative Germany & Country Liaison Austria.  The introduction of the Breast Cancer Paddler (BCP) category at the 17th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships was a truly special moment—an opportunity to share the joy with friends and many familiar faces from the pink paddling community around the world. The atmosphere along the Beetzsee regatta course was extraordinary, as we cheered on a total of ten breast cancer teams f...

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...

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

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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

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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...

IBCPC in Short Film

Submitted by Kira Bloomquist and Shari Annes.  Over the past several decades exercise has been found to help with numerous side- and late-effects of cancer treatment, as well as add quality of life benefits. More recently, studies point to several cancer types where exercise may even help in treating the cancer itself. A new 17-minute film, Moving through Cancer, presents in a simple, and engaging format the evidence-based research that underlies the global exercise is medicine movement. Th...

Festival Update

Submitted by Meri Gibson.  In conjunction with this update please also read the article below which was printed in the December 2024 IBCPC newsletter.28 July 2025 IBCPC Festival 2030 bid workshop to be held online15 September 2025 IBCPC Festival 2030 bids open15 December 2025 IBCPC Festival 2030 bids closeAssessments and site visits will take place between 15 January and 30 April 2026. Hope to make announcement on 25 August 2026 of the Festival 2030 location.We realise that the 2026 festiva...

Emilie's Book

Submitted by Emilie Blond.On Sunday 20th April 2025, I have decided to officially publish my book entitled, “La Force du Dragon, Journal de Lady Emily,” which could be translated as “The Strength of the Dragon, Diary of Lady Emily”.In this 200 page book, I give a testimony of a part of my life, when breast cancer decided to come back at beginning of February 2024 until July 2024, just when my friends from Champ’ Dragon Ladies and I carried the Olympic flame.Throughout my story, I wante...

Blind Pink Paddler

With great pride, we would like to announce that our Rosas del Plata team has added the first blind paddler in the country, Mrs. Roxana Ianello.Roxana joined the team in September 2024 and since then, she has been actively involved in our paddling activities, also taking part in festivals and talks about the importance of awareness and early detection of breast cancer.This achievement demonstrates our commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and reflects our vision to create an environment where ...

News From Argentina

El Seleccionado Nacional de Remo en Bote Dragón de Categoría Cáncer de Mama seprepara en Almafuerte para el Mundial 2026 en Francia.Mujeres de distintas provincias del país entrenan, con fuerza y pasión, para representar a Argentina en el evento internacional que se realizará en Aix-les-Bains, del 24 al 30 de agosto en el imponente Lago Bourget, el más grande de Francia.El espíritu de superación, el trabajo en equipo y el amor por la vida, impulsan al Equipo Nacional de Remo en Bote Dra...

Editor's Report

Submitted by Louise Granahan.Well, as the Communications Director, I can’t begin to tell you how frustrating it has been not to be able to communicate via our Outlook accounts for 3 months! When a gremlin shut down our Outlook emails and our One Drive, we were forced to find other ways to communicate.During that time, IBCPC secretary, Ann Arndt, worked with a number of people including the amazing Jo Perry, former board member, who were able to work with an outside company to get us back onlin...

President's Report

Submitted by Meri Gibson. It is Easter weekend in New Zealand as I sit and write this update for you. It has been raining the whole weekend and the dragon boat season for us is now well and truly over. By the time this goes to print the Australian Dragon Boat Federation will have held their national championships over the last weekend in April. I am also starting to see comments coming through of people training now in the northern hemisphere. The lifecycle of the dragon continues across the glo...