5th IDBF World Dragon Boat Championships... in Shanghai!
Trudi and Jan participated in the World Dragon Boat Championships in the Breast Cancer survivors race. The following is an e-mail from Jan about the racing.
"Hi Trish, This is a message from Trudi and I just outside the finish line at the IDBFestival. We are in the press room masquarading as reporters so we can use the computers. Luckily, no one has asked us for any ID yet.
We've had a great time at the festival with our teams of Internationally Abreast girls and have enjoyed the fine weather and beautiful venue. The site is a watersports palace and our area is specially set up for dragon boating. We met our teams for the first time a couple of days ago and went for a practice in the famous teak boats that Trish has told us about. We weren't in our regular teams, since the Aussies weren't there so we all just piled in. The boats were VERY tippy and Trudi had to work hard to keep from capsizing 26 women with no life jackets. Fortunately we made it out and back, but it became really obvious that there were going to be challenges. We were all used to different commands and had some different ideas about style etc. Nevertheless we worked it out and set ourselves up into three international teams with 18, 17 and 16 members. As well there were survivor teams from Singapore and China - as well as the inevitable Wasabi from Portland, who came and competed with their 20 paddlers and naturally won everything. On Friday we raced three heats of 500 metres.
Trudi steered for Spirit and they came second overall - Jan was on Inspiration which consistently came fourth. We usually were able to finish ahead of China and Singapore, who are just getting started with their breast cancer paddling program. We entered 2 boats in the 2000 metre race, even though most of us had no experience with this event. Trudi steered us in the first boat out-20 seconds ahead of the rest and managed to get to 1000 metres before any of the real athletes caught up and lapped us. It was lots of fun, but quite tiring. We went straight from there to a dinner in downtown Shanghai.
To be continued - we have just been fingered to go to a press conference. So much for sitting in the press room.
Jan "
Read more of their travel updates here.
Yard Sale, May 15th at the Warfield Hall:
... was a great success.
Relay for Life, May 29th:
Saturday, May 29, 2004
12 pm - 12 am, Saturday, May 29, 2004
Haley Park Track, Warfield, BC
We raised $1,360 for this cause - great work everyone.
Click here for more information from the Relay For Life website
Silver City Days:
The New York Society Cut-a-Thon at Silver City Days was a big success this year. They raised $500 cutting hair on Saturday, which they are generously donating to the Robusters.
Our thanks to Deb & Chad Waters of NYS! Thanks also to the volunteers who manned the booth to provide information about the team during the Cut-a-Thon: Rita Holmes, Kathy Williams, Pat Sheppard, Pat Bruce, Margaret Green, Mary Hatlevik & Sherri Golley. The NYS is keen to do this again next year--start growing your hair now!
Thanks for organising this for us, Martha!
