Paddling on False Creek in the sunshine... with friends... on a dragon boat team.  Very Vancouver!


I love the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragonboat team.  I have managed and coached it since 2002, when the team morphed from the former Celebration team, which I had created in 1997.

This past Sunday, we did some full 500m race pieces.  You could feel the power in the boat.  Some of the rookies still need to develop their timing and many paddlers still need to develop their cardio.  But the potential is there and we are very happy with our development this year.

Our core paddlers are so enthusiastic they wanted to start paddling in February.  I told them they were crazy and should go skiing instead... but happily relented and joined them, when a Global television crew wanted to film us for their "Best of BC" news series representing cultural diversity.

The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team is about opportunities. 
It's about community building.  It's about making cultural statements.  It's about having fun and making friends.
And it's about dragon boat racing....

This year I wanted to create two dragon boat teams.  We now have about 35 active paddlers, coming to practices on Sunday afternoon at 1:30pm and Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 6pm.  Our system is flexible.  Come at least once a week, twice is recommended.  Pick a day, paddle, bring a friend and have some fun.  Each practice is different with different combinations of paddlers.  Everybody is getting to know each other, and we are encouraging more responsibilities and team leaders.

Last year we raced 7 dragon boat races + 2 canoe regattas.  We will do similar this year, starting on May 17th at the Lotus Sports Club Bill Alley dragonboat regatta.

This year is special.
Two weeks ago we had two time Olympic kayak racer Kamini Jain come out and give us a paddle clinic.  It really helped the team both improve their paddling, and as a bonding experience.  They got to watch each other on the video, cheer for each other, and encourage each other... which is what we do on the boat all the time.  Amazingly, Kamini really complimented many of our rookie paddlers.  She was amazed that some of them had only been on a boat for 6 or 7 times.

This year's Gung Haggis team is going to be incredible.
Adding the CC Dragons paddlers gives us so much more experience in the boat.
I have been drumming during our race pieces "as coach" waiting for our "star drummer" to come out.

Imagine conducting a symphony... where everybody knows what to do, when to do it.  All you have to do is wave your arms, and signal the transitions.

You don't do any counting... the team does it.... mentally... or only for key words.

You stand at the front, watch them, guide them, encourage them, coach them.  giving out cue words.... like a race jockey on a thoroughbred horse.

Vancouver city councilor Raymond Louie asked me to support his bid to be Vancouver Mayor.  Raymond would be a great mayor... I immediately said "Absolutely!"

Raymond stands in front of Historic Joy Kogawa House on April 25th, 2008.  This was his first visit to the house, after supporting motions on city council to help save the house from demolition, and plant a cherry tree graft at Vancouver City Hall in 2005.  Raymond holds some of Joy Kogawa's books to share with his wife and children - photo Todd Wong

Raymond Louie could be Vancouver's first Chinese-Canadian mayor.  He is a multi-generational Vancouverite from the East Side.  He is a second term Vancouver city councilor.

Raymond Louie has been getting some very significant endorsers including:

My statement of endorsement is now featured on Raymond Louie's website:

"Raymond Louie actually lives the culturally diverse Gung Haggis Fat Choy lifestyle that is my creative world. His own family straddles many cultures and many generations, and he actively demonstrates that he understands the many facets that can make our city shine like a diamond. I have seen how Raymond makes things happen as a city councilor, bringing together different groups and perspectives such as arts, economics, heritage and cultures. As a mayor that empowers others to be their best, Raymond will be dynamic and our jewel of a city should shine even brighter."

Todd Wong, arts advocate and creator of Gung Haggis Fat Choy

To support Raymond as the Vision Vancouver mayoral candidate, you have to
1) Join Vision as a member - click here!
2) Vote at the Vision Vancouver meeting on June 15th, Croatian Community Centre.

Raymond has recently made some wonderful statements on:

He has also currently "advocating for the creation of a non-profit foundation that will establish a long-term funding source for the chronically underfunded Childcare Endowment Reserve."

I have personally known Raymond since the fall of 2002, when he ran for city council.  Initially, I met his wife Tonya first, because she was on the board of Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society, where I had volunteered for, and then was hired as a program coordinator.  I finally met Raymond at the Chinese Cultural Centre when Mike Harcourt endorsed COPE mayoral candidate Larry Campbell. 

After that our paths just seemed to keep crossing, as Raymond was invited to present the Queen's Jubilee Medals to VAHMS board members Jim Wong-Chu and Kuldip Gill. As well, Raymond attended the opening of the "Three Pioneer Canadian Chinese Families" at the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum and Archives.  My great-great-grandfather Rev. Chan Yu Tan's family was featured, and I was one of the featured stories as a descendant.  Raymond attended because he was distantly related to H.Y. Louie, whose family was also featured along with the family of Lee-Bick.

I have seen Raymond at many events throughout Vancouver over the past 6 years.  He is an effective city councilor and is active in the community.

To see him in action at City Council check out this video:

YouTube - EgoDensity Round 1
Raymond Louie criticizes Mayor Sam Sullivan's Eco-Density program

Here are some of the highlights when Raymond and I have shared together:

Raymond climbed on top of the Taiwanese Dragon Boat head... and reaches out to simulate grabbing a flag before crossing the finish line.  I taught him how to climb onto the dragon head - neglecting to tell him it had never been done in Canada before.  Raymond lost the demonstration race to Olympic medalist Lori Fung. - photo courtesy of Taiwanese Cultural Festival.

August to September 2003, Raymond Louie was instrumental in helping to launch the inaugural Vancouver International Taiwanese Dragon Boat Race.  Raymond helped stickhandle through bureaucratic channels during a Vancouver Port strike, and participated as the flag grabber vs '84 Olympic gold medalist Lori Fung in a demonstration race.

November 3rd, 2005, Raymond supported the Save Kogawa House campaign at Vancouver City Hall, when we appealed to City Council for help.  City council used an unprecedented motion to delay a demolition permit application by 3 months, to give us time to fundraise and purchase the house.  Raymond also said that this project was so important he asked all the city councilors to make a donation that day.

January 2006, Raymond brings his family with wife and 3 kids to Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner.  The featured performers are Rick Scott & Harry Wong, and the No Shit Shirleys.

July 2007, Raymond Louie calls for mediation to end the Vancouver civic workers' strike.  Mayor Sam Sullivan and the NPA decline mediation and let the "unnecessary strike" drag on for 3 months, before a mediator is finally called in on Thanksgiving weekend to settle a contract very similar to what other municipalities already settled for 3 months earlier.  Following a July 29th rally at Vancouver City Hall, Raymond Louie comes out to talk with members of Vancouver's civic unions.  I introduce him to my fellow workers of CUPE 391, Vancouver Library Workers - photo Todd Wong.

January 25th, 2008.  Raymond Louie appears on Rock 101's Bro Jake show with "Toddish McWong" to help promote the Gung Haggis Fat Choy event.

January 27th, 2008.  Raymond Louie wears a kilt to Gung Haggis Fat Choy. photo Gung Haggis collection.  A highlight of the evening is Raymond on stage with a group of men wearing kilts as a "Toast to the Lassies" chorus with co-host Catherine Barr - photo VFK.

March 13th, 2008, Vancouver Sun reports Raymond Louie's declaration to run for Vancouver mayor.  Raymond  invites me to be one of his supporters in this photo taken at the Chinese Cultural Centre courtyard.  I am standing on the far left with many key supporters of the Chinatown business and community organizers.  Dr. Kerry Jang is 5th from right - Kerry will run as a candidate for councilor with Vision Vancouver. photo Bill Keay Vancouver Sun.
April 6th, 2008.  Tartan Day is officially proclaimed in Vancouver. Raymond seconded the motion in City Council, moved by Heather Deal, which passed on April 1st.  As deputy mayor, Raymond reads the proclamation prior to a Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team practice.  In this photo l-r: Chinese-Scottish-Canadian Michael Brophy holds the Scottish flag, Todd Wong, Raymond Louie holds proclamation, bagpiper Joe McDonald-  photo Todd Wong/Georgia Thorburn

Olympic paddler Kamini Jain gives paddle clinic to Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team

Kamini Jain came out to give a paddle clinic. She is coach of the False Creek Mixed and FC Mens teams - that brought home medals from the World Championships last September in Sydney Australia.  Kamini is also a two-time Olympic paddler at the Sydney and Athens summer Olympic games.  And she is v-e-r-y "Gung Haggis" with both South Asian and Italian ancestry.

Kamini watched the team paddle out for their warm up from the coach boat, while Todd got used to steering the boat with a little out board and very sensitive throttle grip.

Then Kamini climbed into boat and gave a drill:
stretching forward with your hand along the gunnel of the boat until your arm was parallel with the water.  That's how far your reach should be she said.
A 2nd drill:  paddling only with the bottom hand... and reaching as far as the first drill

• She went down the boat making adjustments for each paddler. 
  
• She gave demonstrations for the reach and how to grip the paddle (no champagne glass two finger grips)

Kamini makes Stephen M utilize all his potential r-e-a-c-h!

Kamini did some paddle correction with each paddler
most notable:

1. more stretch
2. more forward lean
3. working the hinge at the waist
4. bottom hand placement

Good s-t-r-e-t-c-h Jane!

some of the corrections she made on the video were:

1. more reach
2. bottom arm extended straight out (more reach)
   
3. top hand staying high (not dropping out of the boat)
4. exit - not flaring out
5. recovery - not pulling the paddle into your body
6. move head forward when you pull
7. don't lean too far out
8. get paddle deep in the water for the catch
9. don't exit too late
   
10. don't sit back too far at the end of your stroke
11. use hips more
    

There were lots of compliments:

1. good reach
2. good top hands
3. good blending
4. good rotation
5. good hips
6. deep paddles
7. rookies are looking real good
   

Attending the practice today were, in order of appearance on the video:

LEFT SIDE of the Boat

1) Gayle
2) Hillary
3) Keng
4) Alyssa
5) Joy
6) Ernest
7) Steve Behn
8) Joe
9) Raphael
10) Don
11) Christina

RIGHT Side of the boat

1) Tzhe
2) Jane
3) Cindy
4) Colleen
5) Leanne
6) Stephen Mirowski
7) Steven ("Yoga") Wong
8) Devin
9) Sean John
10) Paulette
11) Pam

+
Michael
Gerard
Marion

Following both Tuesday and Wednesday practices.  We will take the dvd to "The Clubhouse" japanese restaurant - where we can watch the dvd, on a large screen, while we enjoy cabohydrate replenishment.

Tuesday roster will be limited to 22 paddlers, as last week we had the max, and not enough on Wednesday to go out. Very sad and unfair to the paddlers who came out on Wed.

please hit reply to myself and Stephen Mirowski, so we can have a roster count confirmed for each day. 

If you can only attend on Tuesday (some paddlers have classes on Wed) they will be priority for Tuesday.  If you can attend either - please come on Wednesday.

If there are 14 or 16 paddlers on each evening, it makes it easier for me to do more one-to-one work with individual paddlers.  If there is a full boat, I am less likely to do individual paddler corrections. hint... more personal coaching on Wednesday!!!

see all the pictures:

Gung Haggis dragon boat paddle clinic...

Cheers, Todd

BUT.... Last Sunday was soooo much fun with two boats out, doing sprint races side by side. Expect more fun and practices like this as more people come out.... It is 8 weeks until Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival Wednesday night, I attended the managers/captains meeting with Stephen Mirowski, Steven Wong, Stuart Mackinnon and Pash Brar.    more »

The sunshine stayed out - and it was warm!!! no rain in sight... and lots of dragon boaters came out to paddle in the sunshine. We had 28 people show up, so we took two dragon boats out. Gayle Gordon led one boat, and I lead the other. Both Stephen Wong and Stephen Mirowski started steering. Ashleigh and Wendy were lead strokes on the Chinchillas. Tzhe and Keng were lead strokes on the Donkeys. Gayle and I also took some turns at lead stroke as well.   more »

A very different kind of dragon boat practice today. When I arrived, we passed out the tartan kilts, and the tartan sashes. Because... We had a City TV cameraman John Wilson come film our practice this afternoon. And a bagpiper, my friend Joe McDonald, walked over from the Skytrain station, while we were doing our warm-up under the covered gazebo. We had a proclamation reading ceremony with the deputy mayor of Vancouver, city councilor Raymond Louie. + PICTURES   more »

Sunday March 30, we had 19 paddlers GREAT PRACTICE in the sunshine. This is what dragon boat practices are all about... great people, great weather, great experience paddling on a Sunday afternoon. We did our usual paddle around East Basin, then up to David Lam Park...... Tuesday Beginner night 14 paddlers out on the water Tuesday... and the boat felt strong, even with 3 new rookies. Joe Easton, a 6 year veteran on the Gung Haggis team says the team is way ahead of where we were this time last year.   more »

Hope you can join us for a wonderful season of dragon boat paddling. 2007 was an AWESOME year for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team. Our vision is to expand to 2 teams for twice as much fun for 2008. We welcome our new and old paddler friends from CC Dragons to add lots of experience and fun to our team.   more »

It's time for dragon boat paddling.  The sun has been greeting us for three Sundays in a row.  What could be better than paddling in the sunshine, gliding along the waters of False Creek?

The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team meets at 1:30pm, Sundays, at Dragon Zone - the green trailer at Creekside Park.  Find us just south of Science  World, above the False Creek Ferry/dragon boat docks.

We welcome experienced and new paddlers who want to incorporate both fun and fitness with a healthy dose of multicultural attitude and activities. 

For 2008, we are building both and advanced and a fun/beginner team.  We have a core of paddlers that have paddled 3 to 4 years, and we are adding some veterans that have paddled 8 to 16 years.  We also have some new rookies who have heard about how much fun our team is, and are asking to join us.

A typical Sunday practice, starts with introduction and a warm up.  This is a great way to loosen up and stretch the muscles, while learning about your team mates.  Perfect for building team unity, the coach (me) also shares the goals for the practice.

We climb into the boat, and warm up with several exercises.  It's always fun to feel the exileration of the boat gliding through the water under our own power.  There is something primal about paddling.  Just you, the paddle and the boat.  Okay... and another 19 paddlers more or less hitting the water at the same time.  Team bonding.  Letting the other 19 paddlers pull the boat, while you grab your water bottle, adjust your hat, or your jacket.  Ha!

Paddling on a dragon boat is a good way to exercise while sitting down.  But we still use all our muscles in our legs, as we emphasize hip and leg drive.   We rotate our torsos to facilitate a better reach.  We extend our outside arms forward to grab the water, plant our paddle in the water,  then pull ourselves up to the paddle.

Dragon boats have been around for more than one thousand years.  But modern dragon boat racing is still very young.  The International Dragon Boat Federation was founded in 1991 after teams from around the world started coming to Hong Kong during the 1970's and 1980's.

Today there are many recreational dragon boat teams all around the world.  Many like our Gung Haggis Fat Choy team paddle simply for fun and fitness.  There are some in Vancouver like the False Creek Racing Canoe Club that compete nationally and internationally.

This afternoon I participated in a dragon boat coaching workshop led by Kamini Jain, coach of the FCRCC.  Kamini is also a two time Olympian, paddling canoes and kayaks at the Sydney and Athens Olympic games. 

Calgary has been the site of the Western Regional race-offs, to determine which dragon boat teams in Western Canada go to compete in the Canadian National races.  But the Calgary city officials have decided NOT to renew the permits for the Alberta Dragon Boat Race Foundation. 

This is devastating news to the Calgary dragon boat teams who are anxiously anticipating the start of the 2008 dragon boat season.  I personally know a number of Calgary paddlers, and the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team, has even helped to host the Calgary Paddling Club when they first came to the Vancouver Taiwanese Dragon Boat Race in 2005.

Check out this story.
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=0ba471d1-5965-4ba2-94a5-5a75af7ec4a5

Dragon boat racing really does represent cultural diversity in BC.  The Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team is really honoured that we were asked by Global News to represent this topic for their program World Class BC on Feb 26, in a story by Elaine Yong, who shared with me that her husband is Scottish Canadian, and she is sometimes called McYong.  Guess we will have to recruit her for the team!

I watched the airing of the story at a friend's home, where we were having a farewell dinner party for author Sharon Butala.  Sharon has been helping the Historic Joy Kogawa House Committee with grant applications to create a writer-in-residence program, and has been staying at Joy's apartment in Vancouver's West End. 

Sharon shared with me, that she really enjoyed seeing the cultural diversity on Robson St.  Not only were there lots of different students from all across Asia, but people from all over the world, and even men holding hands.  Coming from tiny Eastend, Sasketchewan, Sharon said that it felt like being in a different world.  The great thing she said, was that everybody was happy.  Vancouver's tolerance for racial and lifestyle differences is very high, and this has given support for helping create our cultural diversity in BC. 

And then we heard Global News anchor Deborah Hope say that cultural diversity is one of the things that makes BC World Class.  "It's on!" I called to everybody upstairs to come watch the show with us.  Very appropriately, the feature unfolded with stories about First Nations canoes and carving, featuring Nu-Chal-Nuth carvers Joe Martin and Douglas David.

"Gung Haggis, Gung Haggis, Gung Haggis Fat Choy!" we heard the team cheer.  And we saw the team loading up the dragon boat team.  Elaine Yong explains that Dragon boating is part of a 1000 year tradition from China, and our team blends together Scottish history and culture.  Todd Wong (me) is interviewed and  Elaine states the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team is in training for the 20th Vancouver dragon boat Festival, now North America's largest, and one of the biggest outside Hong Kong.

You can see the Global News feature on the web

Go to:
http://www.canada.com/globaltv/bc/video/index.html

Scroll down to:
WORLD CLASS BC FEB 26
fast forward to 1:34 to 2:27 for Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team.

World Class BC Feb 26.
1) Joe Martin carves Nu-Chal-Nuth First Nations canoes
2) Douglas David carves Nu-Chal-Nuth First Nations masks
3) Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team with Todd Wong
4) Bangra Dancing with Raakhi Sinha

Additionally, you can see the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team featured on a ZDF German Public Television travelogue titled "Toronto to Vancouver, by Train." 
http://wstreaming.zdf.de/zdf/veryhigh/071219_toronto_vancouver.asx
go to the 54 minute mark to find us!

This show aired December 2007 across Europe.  The race shots were filmed at the ADBF sprint regatta.  Here's the blog story: http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2007/4/14/2881088.html

Watch GLOBAL NEWS on Tuesday Feb 26 -
6pm
TOMORROW!

Everybody knowns that BC's cultural diversity is one of the best things about living in BC.  Where else can you celebrate almost all the world's cultures worldly cuisines in a single city, go dragon boat racing, go to First Nations pow wows, enter a St. Patrick's Day parade, and learn bangra dancing?

Todd Wong (me)  was interviewed on Feb 17th for a Global TV story celebrating BC's 150 years.

I talk about cultural diversity in BC, and am seen with the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team, paddling in the background.

Cultural diversity is the topic, Todd and the Gung Haggis dragon boat team will represent it to Global TV viewers.  Our dragon boat team itself has a good mixture of not only Asian and Caucasian paddlers, but also one paddler with Iraqi heritage and 3 paddlers with both Asian/Caucasian DNA.

I also explain the history of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year dinner, which celebrates not only the Scottish and Chinese pioneer histories of BC, but also "everything inbetween and everything beyond."



We did a poll asking people what they thought were the things that made BC a world-class place, and people/culture/diversity was one of the top 10 responses.  To illustrate some of BC's amazing culture and diversity, I thought you would be a great person to profile.  But of course, we need some viz of you doing something, and since we missed the dinner, the dragon boating would be great, as well as another example of cultural diversity.  The story is scheduled to air Feb 26.

We had a great practice in the sunshine today with a full 22 paddler boat and a Global TV camerman!

It was the first practice of the year, and all paddlers were enthusiastic veterans who braved the chilly February sunshine.  We were even filmed by a Global TV camerman.  Maybe it's like a dragon boat version of ground hog day.... if we can see our shadow we will have have great season of fun and medals.

It's the earliest time we've ever been out on the water.  Last year we started on the first Sunday in March with only 8 paddlers in the rain who went out in Marathon canoes.  This year it was 24 team members. 

Even the media attention has come early.  Last April, a the ADBF sprint regatta, it was a ZDF German Public television crew filming us for a travelogue documentary titled Toronto to Vancouver.  We are featured near the end of the show.  Check out:
http://wstreaming.zdf.de/zdf/veryhigh/071219_toronto_vancouver.asx
go to 54 minute mark of the 58 minute documentary to find the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team.

Attending our first practice were: returning Gung Haggis paddlers Wendy, Tzhe, Keng & Gerard, Georgia, Julie, Ashleigh, Steven Wong & Jane, Stephen Mirowski, Joe, Emma, Leanne, Daming, and myself...  + Lena who joined us in Oct + Raphael, Adam & Nicole from the UA team (who had joined us for Lotus and Ft. Langley Races) + 5 paddlers from CC Dragons Don & Paulette, Gail, Marg, and Debbie = 24 people on the water - Wow!

We were enthusiastically enjoying the sunshine, and happy to be out paddling, stretching our muscles!

We are grateful to the CC Dragons paddlers who are joining us, and bringing lots of experience from years of competitive, and Rec A/B racing.  Thank you to the Gung Haggis paddlers for making them feel welcome.  We will be inclusive, sharing leadership, wisdom, experience, enthusiasm and lots of fun, food and drink.

The Global TV cameraman came out to shoot some shots of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team and to interview Todd for a story about "The Best of BC".  Cultural diversity is the topic, and Todd and the Gung Haggis dragon boat team will represent it to Global TV veiwers for the story celebrating BC's 150th Anniversary.



Today was a great start to a new Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat season.  We plan to have two teams where new paddlers can learn from veteran paddlers, and our best paddlers can race to their potential. 

Please remember to dress warmly, with polypropelene underwear that will wick moisture away, windbreakers to cut the wind chill, and bring water - as we still loose moisture through our breath.  It's important to stay warm and hydrated - even more so, as we are just getting started again in cold weather and many of us have not been exercising for awhile.

Two teams for 2008 will be GREAT!
Two boats can race together on Sunday afternoon practices
Tuesday and Wednesday 6pm practices will evolve as either advanced paddler or technique/beginner practices... or dependent upon which night people can attend. 

We are building flexibility into our practice schedule.
People could also paddle on one day, and help coach or steer on another day or more.

If new people would like to join they can contact me at:
gunghaggis at yahoo dot ca

or phone Todd Wong
h: 604-987-7124
c: 778-846-7090

Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team braved the white cap waves of Sunday's UBC Day of the Long Boats


It's a wild start as 9 teams take off from the beach at the same time, jostling and hitting each other.  The Gung Haggis Fat Choy mixed team (center), gets a good start heading to open water... but nobody realized there was a yellow rope trailing from the canoe creating drag until steersperson Todd Wong couldn't figure out why the boat wasn't turning. - photo Dave Samis.

Boats were capsizing off Jericho Beach for Saturday's UBC Day of the Long Boats, so Sunday's community teams were limited to one race per team.

Our Community Mixed Race was rescheduled to 11:20am.  Our Gung Haggis Braveheart Warriors Mens team was rescheduled to 12:00 noon.

Our teams had fun, there were smiles on people's faces after each race.  Nobody capsized...

But during our Community MIXED race, I was steering the boat, and it wouldn't turn right.  We bumped into a number of boats resulting in cussing, and jostled humours, as we kept heading away from the 1st pylon marker, towards the North Shore Mountains.

Imagine my surprise, when I discovered there was a long yellow rope dragging behind our boat, acting as an anchor drag, restricting our turning abilities.  I managed to turn our boat back on course... and reach over and pull the long yellow rope into the boat.  We found ourselves in last place, and worked hard to catch up to the other teams.  After picking up our baton, we passed some more boats in the turn, passed another boat on the long stretch - but could not catch the 1st place team False Creek "What's the Catch?"


Gung Haggis Fat Choy mixed team struggles to pull away from the pack.  You can see the yellow rope trailing from our stern.  Todd Wong steers, while Kristine Shum is in lead stroke at the front. - photo Dave Samis.

Our Men's race was equally challenging.  Instead of 10 men, we raced our 10 most veteran paddlers including 2 women.  We jostled and bumped our way against other men's teams, went off course a bit on the baton pick up as another boat hit us.  We grabbed our baton, then took some teams on the turn.  We tried our best to catch up to TD Lightning Men... but not quite good enough.  It was a fun, race and we congratulated them, as we landed on the beach beside them.

After the races, I headed down to Word on the Street Book and Magazine Fair + the Word on the Strike enhanced picket line for CUPE 391, Vancouver Library workers union. 

Our dragon boat paddlers reconvened at 5pm for a farewell party for rookie paddler Emilie Quevillon.  She joined the dragon boat team after bumping into me at the finish of the Alcan Dragon Boat Festival.  She joined the team for our annual after-party at Doolin's Irish Pub, and paddled the summer with us.  Emilie was often away in her job as a flight attendant but finally paddled with us for the Vancouver Taiwanese Dragon Boat races.  Emilie was an enthusiastic and upbeat contribution to the team, bringing Montreal flair to our gatherings.  She has now returned to Montreal to re-join her musical theatre group.  No doubt team members will have a new friend to visit in Montreal for dragon boat races in August next year.

see pictures on Flickr

Next Race:
Saturday Oct 6th
Fort Langley Cranberry Festival Canoe Regatta.
20 teams only
3 races.

Gung Haggis dragon boat team paddles under the new Harvest Moon


Steersperson Adam Purvis waves from the back of the boat, while Gung Haggis team paddlers stretch during a break - photo Todd Wong

The Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dragon Boat team, is preparing for the Sept 30th UBC Day of the Long Boat Race.  It is the largest voyageur canoe race in North America, and designed as a recreation event for UBC students, faculty and staff.  But... there are division for community teams too!  It is a 2km course with 3 big turns.  A normal dragon boat race is only 500m.  So we are now training paddlers for endurance with 2km pieces.

We took out 2 Gemini dragon boats last night, and ran races from Dragon Zone to Cambie St. Bridge where we took a short break to simulate a paddler jumping out to the beach during the actual Day of the Long Boat race, where they would grab a baton.

After our quick break where some paddlers shed some extra clothes, we then raced up to David Lam Park and to the point.  Along the way we set up some obstacles for turning, like the sculpture, the buoy markers and boats.  After a short rest to change sides, we raced back to Cambie Street Bridge, and all the way back to Dragon Zone.

Longest race pieces we've ever done... lots of fun.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team practices on Sundays 1pm and Tuesday 6pm. If you would like to join the team - contact Coach Todd Wong
email gunghaggis at yahoo dot ca

We have participated in this event before with the Tacoma Dragon Boat Association Destiny Dragons:

See my past stories:

Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team grabs flag at Taiwanese Dragon Boat Races

Emilie Bourque-Quevillon grabs the flag for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team an instant before the Splash Test Dragons grab their flag.  It was a tight race for 4th place.  Drumming for Gung Haggis is coach Todd Wong, right side paddlers are (r-l) Wendy Lee, Hillary Wong, Julie Wong, Stephen Wong.  left side paddlers (hidden r-l) are Marlene Chamberlain, Tzhe Lam and Georgia Thorburn.

Great team work on the weekend at the Vancouver International Taiwanese Dragon Boat Races.

It was good to see so many people working together, making new friends, renewing old friendships, and meeting new challenges.

BIG Thank yous to Captains Marlene and Julie for helping lead us into the races... and providing and making our new team hats (that were under constant threat of being stolen, as a pirate bounty had been put on them).

Thank you Deb and Dave Samis for steering races for us on Sat and Sun (steering is notoriously difficult in Taiwanese boats).

OUR RACES

We competed well.  It was a tough race field, with many comp and upper Rec teams.  As a lower end Rec team, we matched very well against other teams in the Nogard race, and I don't think we ever crossed a finish line last including the Nogard.  And our barrel race was one of our best ever!

We had good starts and grabbed our flag in our ONE Taiwanese 500m race and although we demonstrated how challenging steering backwards and forwards could be... there were other teams in subsequent races, who NEVER grabbed their flag.

OUR ROSTER

A special achievement is that our team did NOT borrow or supplement our roster with paddlers from other teams.  Every one of our racers on the weekend was a bonafide Gung Haggis paddler in good standing.  No drop ins or substitutions.  This shows the levels of depth and loyalty that our team has.  Hopefully next year, we can run two teams in the Taiwanese Dragon Boat races.

TEAM SPORTING ATTITUDE + TEAM BUILDING

Other teams and DBA staff were friendly to us.  DBA dock workers Wally and Francis helped us load/unload our disabled drummer on the dock.  And the race commentary of Kim Tomkins gave good mention of our team.

On Sunday night, many of us met at Doolin's Irish Pub for our FREE drink + 25% off food.  We were served by Rachelle, and also joined by dragon boat friends from Fluid Motion and Calgary's Draco Stealth.



more photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24064901@N00/sets/72157601815097689/


NEXT PRACTICE

No practice this Tuesday... stay at home and rest...  I need to rest my back. 

But if you are going to Penticton to race with GVRD - there is a practice with them on Tuesday Night and Thursday night.

Tzhe is organizing a social and cultural outing to the Vancouver Art Gallery to go see Monet to Dali
http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/the_exhibitions/exhibit_monet.html
It sounds great!!!  And if you ever come to race in San Francisco with me... I will show you the Rodin sculture "The Thinker" and Monet "Waterlilies" at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor.

Next Sunday's practice on Sep 9th is canceled because of "Paddle for Kids" - volunteers are welcome for this event.

Next official Gung Haggis practice is Tuesday Sept 11th. 6pm.

GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY DRAGON BOAT TEAM WRAP UP PARTY

Coming soon for September???  watch for details!!!
Awards for paddler achievements ?!?!?

volunteer organizers needed!!!

This is the event where we created home-made haggis won-tons last year at Dan's apartment.  We will also teach people the words to Robbie Burns immortal poem "Address to a Haggis."

And begin planning for the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner, set for January 27th, 2008, Sunday.

NEXT RACE EVENTS

Sep 30 - UBC REC - Day of the Longboat
             This is a fun but brutally competitive race that can be like contact bumper boats. 2 km races from Jericho beach around a pylon, East to grab a pylon from the beach, out to English Bay, around a pylon, then west, turn left at the last pylon and race to the sand, send your runner to bang the gong.

Oct 7 - Ft. Langley Cranberry Festival Canoe Regatta
           This is a much friendlier version of the above race.  Only about 16 to 20 teams.  An oval to race around 2x that adds to about 1.75 km.  Plus an obstacle race that includes chasing and grabbing a pumpkin, turning around pylons, dropping a paddler off to balance cranberry wine on a paddle without spilling as they walk along the beach, picking up the paddler, more turns around pylons, then a sprint to a finish!