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