Racing in dragon boats

Paddlers enjoy calm water in Wellington channel

In its eleven year history, the Wellington Dragon Boat Festival has experienced a variety of conditions on the water. There has been high water, low water, breezy conditions along with challenging choppy waves. The 12th annual festival held Saturday will be remembered for having just the perfect weather for dragon boating. The big lake remained as still as a mill pond and the water barely moved in the Wellington channel, except against the strike of a paddle or a passing vessel. “This is the twelfth year we’ve been doing it and we’ve never had it this calm for this long, so this is really awesome,” said festival organizer and Lions member Janet Marissen.

Seven teams participated in this year’s event; two community teams, two breast cancer survivor teams and three club teams. Participants came from Toronto, Kingston, Cobourg and Bellevillle as well as the County with team names ranging from Here There be Dragons and Co-bells to Dragons Abreast and Chestmates. Top Dawgs, Legion Wet Vets and Friends and Family made up the remaining teams.

There’s a ton of volunteers who help put the event together. “Everybody just pitches in and it’s a great community event,” said Marissen. She also wanted to give a big shout out to the festival’s announcer, Colin Fredericks. “We should thank our announcer, because he’s been doing it since we started; he’s a volunteer in the community and he’s been doing that.”

The dragon boat festival is an annual one-day event put together by the Wellington Lions Dragon Boat Club, which operates under the Wellington District Lions Club. There were 12 races throughout the morning with final races taking places into the early afternoon, giving each team three races. Team times varied over the 250-metre course from an impressive 1:12:16 by the Cobells to 1:32:49 and everything in between.

The free admission event isn’t just about race winners and losers; it is about having fun on the water while acknowledging those living with cancer as well as those who have lost the battle. It’s about camaraderie, acknowledging personal achievements, sharing laughter and helping local fundraising.

A carnation ceremony took place around the noon hour as two dragon boats anchored side-by-side from the shoreline. After the singing of the paddles up song, carnations were tossed into the water in memory of or in honour of somebody. Marissen announced, “You may toss them or keep them in memory and in honour of people suffering from cancer.”

Marissen gave special thanks to the two survivors’ teams: Dragons Abreast who came from Toronto and Chestmates from Kingston. “Last year, our dear friend Karen Smith, and for the last many years, maybe even ten, sang our dragon boat song for us. Sadly we lost her at the end of October, but we have a tribute to her. All the money from the carnations that we raise this year is going to the program that she had so much love and support for, and that’s the YMCA Strong Kids,” said Marissen.

“All of the funds that we raise are used by the Wellington District Lions Club for projects in the community, so that’s why we put it on, because it’s our major fundraiser,“ added Marissen.

For anyone wishing to try dragon boating, newcomers are always welcome. The club allows prospective paddlers to go out for up to three paddles without obligation or cost. The Wellington Dragon Boat Club practises each Monday and Wednesday at 6 p.m. on West Lake. For more information, check out e-clubhouse. org/sites/wellingtonon/page-7.php.