The Gold Coast’s Varsity Lakes hosted dozens of traditionally coloured Chinese dragon boats propelled by equally colourful Pan Pacific Masters Games competitors today.
Hundreds of paddlers took to the water to determine medallists across eight divisions over the 500m distance.
Newcomers to dragon boat racing at the Pan Pacific Masters Games, Mackay Stingers, entered the event to gain experience in a low-pressure and relaxed setting.
Stingers coach Linda Nugent said the event was an opportunity to show the team what competing in dragon boat racing was all about.
“It’s a great opportunity to get together with a group of like-minded people and just do something where age is no barrier, and that’s the great thing about dragon boating,” said Linda.
It’s a good thing the Games debutants have a positive outlook as the mixed-gender Mackay team placed last in their first heat of the open competition.
“We came last but we weren’t disgraced,” said Linda. “We don’t mind because it’s the joy of getting out there and competing.”
Surprisingly, training in the intense heat and humidity of northern Queensland is not the biggest challenge for the squad. It’s the local wildlife that can cause serious problems.
“We nearly had a stingray in our boat one day,” said Linda. “We paddle in the marina in Mackay so we actually paddle around the (large) boats.
“We also have crocodiles, stingers and sharks to contend with, but as long as you stay in the boat everything’s good.”
Competitors from the deep south of Australia have different, but equally challenging problems of their own.
Tasmania’s Derwent Storms battle freezing conditions while training on Hobart’s famous Derwent River, the site of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race finish line.
Paddler and team president Jenny Willing said winter is the preferred time of year for training, despite the sub-zero temperatures faced by the paddlers.
“Winter is actually the best time to paddle because the water tends to be much calmer,” said Jenny.
“From this time of the year through summer we normally get the big waves and sea breezes which cause a lot of chop and swell. We actually have pretty tough conditions to train in.
“We’ve had occasions where there’s been not actually ice, but frost on the seats.”
The Derwent Storms have been competing at the Pan Pacific Masters Games since 2008 where they made the finals in two different divisions and have so far been successful at the 2012 Games.
“We’re going really well actually. Our Great Grand Dragons (over 60s) won their heat,” said Linda.
The dragon boat competition ends on Saturday with the 200m events.
The new scheme was born here and filagra this is not something that we would like to see. Caverta although better in some elements but not important for us.
