International Events
Wellington 2003
see
Sandra's report on the New Zealand adventure
Wellington Races
I am pleased to report we have all lived to tell the tale of Wellington!
Dragons Abreast Australia was one of only 2 boats to use a female sweep.
Most of the other teams took one look at the conditions and option to
take on a local male sweep.
It was very challenging but at the same time it was very satisfying to
make it through each race upright! Race tactics and strategies went right
out the window (or over the side!) - we were just concentrating on getting
from the start to the finish line upright! The worst part was knowing
we had finished the race in once piece but then having to negotiate the
same hazardous course back to the start to disembark!
We only veered slightly out of our lane in the final - the dreadful & fully exposed Lane 6. Despite fears of crashing into the wharf or disappearing
under it, we managed to complete the race in our own lane.
I am extremely proud of our Dragons Abreast Australia paddlers, as we
had to race with 16 members only - and thanks to the girls from Pink Phoenix
who helped make up numbers when some of our girls had to leave early on
Sunday.
I want to say a very big personal thanks to Alan Culbertson, my coach & mentor for the last 5 years. His wonderful training ensured that
I knew things I did not even realise I knew! And of course the rest of
the Australian crew is also very grateful that they did not get a dunking.
We managed a 4th place overall in Auckland and 6th in Wellington - absolutely
amazing to make the Grand Finals on both occasions - considering we were
a motley crew that had not paddled together before - but I do think it
helped enormously that others capsized in front of us!
Our boat looked very disciplined & obeyed the sweep's every command
very promptly! I think it was more a case of the paddlers living in fear
of capsize than any really good drillings!
I love to paddle and only sweep if I have to, but I must say that Wellington
was the thrill of a lifetime and I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of
sweeping there. It was hair-raising, thrilling, invigorating & a major
stress out but at the end of the day, when I look back, it was such fun!
Wellington was a extremely well organised and ran very well to time,
despite all the capsizes. The course was lovely and straight and the view
point for spectators was fabulous. There were also ample supplies of the
very essential port-a-loos! Our congratulations to the organisers for
a fantastic event! I'll go back in a flash given the opportunity!
Michelle Hanton
Results
- Wellington races March 2003
