The “Encontro Estadual de Remadoras Rosa do Paraná”, which took place on April 13, 14 and 15, 2023, in Curitiba city, only became possible and viable due to the commitment and responsibility of the leader’s team of the ROSA DOS VENTOS (Londrina city), FLOR DE LOTUS (Foz do Iguaçu citu) and CANOHÁ (Curitiba city).
The teams from the state of Paraná met in advance, virtually, and made a commitment to hold this event, with the following objective: to build a solid foundation for training Dragon Boat paddlers. The responsibility for its organization was the responsibility of the Canohá team, which prepared its Program and its Regulations.
27 breast cancer paddlers participated in the event. All participants who signed up, presented the requested medical documentation and were able to practice physical exercises. Each team also had the help of their respective volunteers, in a reduced number of people.
On the first day, the 13th, the Accreditation of all participants and the Opening of the event were held, with a Dragon Boat paddling with the purpose of the paddlers getting to know the lanes of the Parque Náutico de Curitiba and providing the initial rapport between the teams paranaenses.
All activities on water were proudly led by breast cancer paddlers and had the participation of the steer person from the Flor de Lotus and Canohá teams and the drummers from the Rosa dos Ventos and Canohá teams.
This was certainly a historic milestone for the construction of the Dragon Boat modality, which is just beginning in Brazil, as well as for stimulating and strengthening our category: breast cancer paddler. Initially, fundamentals and paddling technique were worked on, as well as safety and navigation voice commands in Dragon Boat.
The focus of the second day, the 14th, was the work of paddling in a Dragon Boat with variation and transition of rhythms (light, medium and strong), besides sprinting with starting technique.
That day we also had the Conversation Circle: what is it like to be a Pink Paddler? In an intimate and welcoming atmosphere, even due to the cold autumn season in Curitiba, all participants had the opportunity to strengthen bonds of friendship and manifest themselves, scoring their impressions and reflections, where the issue of CARE for each other was a constant tonic.
We finished the day with the “Nutri Meeting”, which addressed the topic of Conscious Eating, which we believe is of vital importance for promoting quality of life, for the practice of regular physical exercise and for disease prevention.
The last day, the 15th, was dedicated to celebrations, hugs, and farewells. In addition to the Paraná teams, municipal authorities, friends, and family were present.
The Canohá team performed its ceremony “Awakening of the Dragon” and named its boat, a tribute to one of the team members, who recently passed away due to complications from breast cancer. It was a ceremony full of emotion and meaning, with the presence of her family.
Afterwards, the Flower Ceremony was held in honor of the women who are no longer with us, but who have left us a huge legacy. It was also the moment to welcome the new paddlers, women of the varied ages, who are beautifully starting their journey on the Dragon Boat. Very beautiful to see the emotional faces of all of them!
And, in conclusion, we had the Regatta of the Volunteers, in thanks to all the people who supported us during the event. Anyone who wanted to, including practitioners of other types of canoeing, had the opportunity to paddle a Dragon Boat.
We hugged and said goodbye with an immense warmth in our hearts, a smile on our faces and a tremendous desire to go back to paddling together next year.
