Sapphire Water Dragons Abreast
general contact
tel: 1300 889 566
Merimbula@dragonsabreast.com.au or ACTregion@dragonsabreast.com.au (Regional Representative)
SWDA PADDLERS AT CHINESE NEW YEAR 2009
A team of 8 paddlers competed at the Chinese New Year Dragons Abreast regatta on Sunday 8 February. Seven survivors combined with Pendragons Abreast (Penrith) and Port Hacking to compete as “Spirit of Friendship”. Charles Helmore competed in a supporters team known as Pink Friends.
We arrived at Darling Harbour early to snare some good shade and to meet with our team members and plan our races. . Pat Helmore took the warm up and came up with some very innovative “in line” exercises. Paddling conditions were excellent and even though it was hot, a breeze blew all day thus thwarting 40 degree temperatures.
We placed 4th, 3rd and we then 3rd overall in the minor finals.
Family and friends came along to support us all.
The “Flowers on the Water” ceremony took place with a minute’s silence and remembers all those who have lost their battle with breast cancer and celebrates all those who are paddling in spite of it.
Charles’ team paddled well and ended the day coming 4th overall in the Community Race.
Regional Roundup 2008 - pdf download 173kbs
2008 update
The euphoria from Abreast in Australia in Caloundra still touches our members and will live with us always. We wear our “Intrepid Spirits” hats with much pride and our memories are with us – we teamed with an awesome group of girls (and their partners and families). Two of our girls also paddled with Gold Coast DA in Abreast in Australia.
Our girls trained hard over summer and along with Sapphire Water Dragons competed in Jindabyne and again at Chinese New Year – which for many is an event not to be missed. We were fortunate enough to have Lorraine Montgomery from Gold Coast DA come and give some valuable training to enable both DA Gold Coast and Sapphire Water Dragons Abreast to make up a formidable composite team.
Helen Britten and Pat Helmore both travelled to New Zealand at the end of March to make up numbers for the Gold Coast DA team and came home with Gold.
Our past CoOrdinator, Helen Britten, was the Patron for Relay for Life in April 2008 and combined with our Sapphire Water Dragons members, we raised over $3000 for the cause.
DA members Liz Shaw and Anne Atkins paddled in Darwin in Cullen Bay and Darwin Harbour in May 2008 and the experience was very different from our lake waters here in Merimbula – especially in May when it is getting wintry here. We will be back!!!!!!!!!! Paddling down the Ord in 2010 is a goal for Liz. Other members have also paddled with Gold Coast DA..
It is really lovely to have visitors come and join us and we all appreciate our welcome when paddling away.
We are in training for the Pan Pacific games in November at the Gold Coast and it will be wonderful combining with other members to make up our composite team.
Congratulations to Pat Helmore on achieving her sweep accreditation and DA supporters Charles Helmore and Bernard Ackroyd are also accredited sweeps.
We paddle in 2 locations on weekends with our “Pink” paddle being on Sunday mornings at Top Lake, Merimbula – with coffee afterwards. Time: 8.15 for 8.30am paddle – bookings preferable so email booking at merimbula@dragonsabreast.com.au.
