Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team races well at Taiwanese Dragon boat Races on Saturday

pictures from 2005 Vancouver International Taiwanese Dragon Boat Race – photos Ray Shum

It's a busy noisy culturally jam-packed Taiwanese Cultural Festival – with a side order of Taiwanese dragon boat racing.

Wow! 3 races… and we used the NOGARD race just as practice for the follow up Taiwanese boat race in the afternoon.  The field is tough, the heats are
staggered, and we proved our worth against other boats of similar
abilities in the NOGARD race. 

Our first race in a teak boat for the first race of the morning got all our jitters out.  We finished 5th out of 6 boats.  False Creek Mixed took the early lead and finished way ahead of everybody!

Our
second race – a just for fun NOGARD race (race past the flag, then back up to grab the flag) – helped settle us down in a
Taiwanese dragon boat. It took us a few tries before we grabbed the
flag… but we did it!

Our third race went neck and neck, then just ahead of our closest competitor, and we finished 4th – easily grabbing our flag.

Sunday race is set for 10:45 in a teak boat.
– paddle well and we will make a race final in a Taiwanese Boat for the afternoon.

otherwise it is destiny for another teak boat race in the consolation finals.

Advice to our paddlers:
Focus on the process….

Get your paddles deep, reach long, and paddle together!

Look after the little things and BIG THINGS will happen

Look after what is within your responsibility… and allow others to do their job.
paddlers paddle, drummers drum/call, steerers steer, and coaches coach!

Keep the chatter to minimal on the boat, so we can hear the steers and the drummer!

Enjoy your team mates…
There
have been so many compliments about how everybody looks after each
other, and how socialable the team is.  This is our greatest
treasure… not the medals on the shelf… but developing good
friendships and last beyond the racing, the practices and the kilts
nights and the pub nights…

Go for lunch and snacks together, check out displays together, if you see somebody on their own – check on them. 

After racing – we have a team fundraiser at Doolin's Irish Pub
$10 ($5 for Gung Haggis facebook members) for a free beer and 25% off food!!!
pick up your free beer before 8:30, live music starts 9pm, and food discount until 10pm