ONCE again Narooma Blue Water Dragons hit the road, this time to participate in the Shellharbour Festival of Sport Dragon Boat Regatta.
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For this event, Narooma’s Dragon Boat club combined with Sussex Inlet River Dragons to form the Blue Inlet team and although other commitments meant that only six of Blue Water Dragons’ race crew could make it, both clubs were looking forward to their first racing experience together.
Heavy rain was predicted for the day and the weather gods didn’t disappoint. Rain overnight and at times torrential rain during the day meant that spectator numbers were down but nearly 30 crews and some extremely close racing provided an exciting spectacle.
The terrible weather caused the last of three heats to be cancelled but good times in the first two heats gained the combined Narooma/Sussex crew a place in the finals.
A finals berth is always considered an achievement but there were celebrations for the locals when the result of a photo finish gave a win to the Blue Inlet crew against more fancied teams from Illawarra, Port Hacking and the young guns from Blue Fins (Sydney).
Helen Hayes, Blue Water Dragons’ secretary, had been fostering the relationship between the Narooma and Sussex Inlet clubs since Blue Water Dragons’ Boat Shed opening late last year. The two clubs hope to get together regularly for more social and competitive paddling in the future. After the day’s success, Helen said, “I feel a great partnership has been formed between the Narooma Blue Water Dragons and Sussex Inlet River Dragons.
“Our first regatta together and we brought home gold.
“To achieve this under such awful conditions at the Shellharbour Festival of Sport was a wonderful feat.
“I hope our partnership will continue to grow," she said.
Blue Water Dragons has already established a reputation for endurance paddling and can now add short course success to their CV.
Blue Water Dragons congratulate coach, Leck Swadling and the crew: Sally Farrell, Helen Hayes, Kathryn Essex, Catherine Dingli and Peter Essex for representing Narooma and the club.
If you’d like to be part of Narooma’s Dragon Boat club and have fun, get fit and paddle with the great people from the Southern Region on the fantastic waterways from Nowra to the border and beyond, contact Narooma Blue Water Dragons on 0477 610 953 or email narooma.bwd@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook.
Narooma Blue Water Dragons “Looking good, having fun!”