Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team
@ Alcan Dragon Boat Festival 2007
Paddles go deep on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team, steered steadily by Stephen Mirowski with drummer Deb Martin. front to back along the right side are: Wendy Lee, Sarah Glazzard, Hilary Wong, Marlene Chamberlain, Jim Blatherwick, Joe Easton, Dan Seto, Art Calderwood, Sean John Kingsley, Tzhe Lam. – photo vfk.
Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team had a full weekend of racing and
cameraderie. We raced in the Novice semis on Saturday with a 2nd place,
then Sunday morning we got bumped out of the Novice Championship with a 6th place finish – but
finished strong in the Novice A consolation round missing 1st place by
about 3/4 second.
On Saturday afternoon, we put together a
composite 50+ team officially called Gung Haggis Fat Choy & Friends
nicknamed “Old Haggis Fat Boy.” It was an incredible race the missed a
bronze medal by less than 3/4 second to Wasbi. Wow!
Gung Haggis
also added to the steering pool, Steven Wong, Stephen Mirowski and
myself to help out Junior teams Killaryney, Strathcona, Lotus Junios
II, plus women's team Hydromaniacs.
Gung Haggis paddler Stuart
Mackinnon's junior team, (which I coached) Killarney Cougar Dragons won
2nd place medal in Junior D. I am proud of them and Gung Haggis and UA
Power Dragons (which I also coached) a brand new team that made it to
the Rec D Championship Finals
check out
http://www.flickr.com/gp/24064901@N00/1g51yv
Pictures are taken by Christine chin's cousin – Nick Lum – please credit if you post
Our 1st race on Sunday morning – we needed to finish 1st, 2nd or have one of the fastest 3rd place finishes from the 3 novice heats to make it to the medal round. We finished 6th.
Our final race on Sunday – the Novice A consolation race. We went neck and neck with boat 7 all the way to the finish line. Our paddles went deep. Our intensity was focussed.
We raise our paddles in celebration after a hard paddled race.
Big Big thanks to Jim Blatherwick for stepping into the Captain's role
and being responsible for the race roster rotations. I heard lots of
complements for Jim, for being fair, keeping it fun, making sure we had
perspective and encouraging us to do our best.
Lots of gratitude and thanks to steers Stephen Mirowski and drummer Deb Martin, who kept us focussed and straight on the water.
Great thank
yous to Stephen Wong and Stephen Mirowski for going into the steering
pool along with myself. Steven W steered 2 races with Killarney as
well as during the practice sessions. Stephen M steers one race for
Killarney, one for Strathcona + 2 for Hydrosonics a women's team from
Sechelt. I steered 1 each for Anniemaniacs, Lotus Junior II,
Strathcona.
Big big contratulations to Stuart Mackinnon – one
of our Rookie of the Year contenders. Stuart had the vision to create
a junior team for Killarney High School -the Cougar Dragons won Silver Medals in Junior D.
Thanks to everybody who attended our
after-party at Doolin's Irish Pub. Great to
meet new dragon boat friends and celebrate with old dragon boat friends
like Ian Paul of The Pirates.. Joe Easton won the 50/50…
Dale of
Shibumi (Portland) won the “Up Your Kilt t-shirt).