National events

Chinese New Year, Darling Harbour, 2009

Chinese New Year 2009

RESULTS OF DRAGONS ABREAST AUSTRALIA RAFFLE

Drawn at Port Orient Restaurant, Sydney – 7th February 2009

1st Prize	Lindy McCollum	NSW
2nd Prize	Linda McGann	QLD
3rd Prize	Kathy Dundas	NSW
4th Prize	Caroline Church	NSW
5th Prize	Colleen Haydon	NT
6th Prize	Elizabeth Richards	QLD
7th Prize	Ron Watts	NSW
8th Prize	Janet Coleman	NSW
9th Prize	Dee Fathers	NSW

It is wonderful to see that so many of the winners were members of Dragons Abreast and we thank all who assisted in the sales of these tickets.

The 3 top selling groups were Dragons Abreast Sydney, Dragons Abreast Coffs Coast, Dragons Abreast Brisbane – a wonderful effort!!!

Chinese New Year 2009 memories

What a wonderful experience that I’ll never forget. I was amazed at the crowd of survivors and supporters and the friendliness of everyone at my first Chinese New Year. As we competed in the races and went to the marshalling area we chatted to each other even though we were total strangers but with one thing in common — our survival. This link created joy and pleasure in what we were doing and happiness in our achievements. We squeezed the Wagga paddlers into our boat.

Teams from far and wide came to experience this occasion. When it came time to do the Flowers in the Water Ceremony some paddlers gave up their seats for others who had never experienced it. This gesture was very much appreciated. The boats lined up as we listened to the Buddhist Monks and the beautiful singing as we put flowers in the water and thought of friends and others who were not as lucky as us. It was so emotional a lot of tears were shed as arms were placed around each other in sharing this special time. As the boats spread out and circled the flowers the paddlers did a special tap paddle with all the spectators and supporters clapping and cheering us. When we disembarked there was a paddle guard of honour for everyone and hi fives all around. It was also very special for me to have my son and grandchildren there and for them to share this experience and to have this special occasion to remember and to understand. My memories will last forever.

Val Barger, ACT

Dragons Abreast Wagga Wagga, aka Bidgee Boobs, wish to pass on to the DA ACT Committee our thanks to the Tickled pink team for including four of our breast cancer survivor paddlers in your team at CNY in Sydney. We had a great time and hope to be involved in composite teams with you in the future. We are also most appreciative of your efforts in getting our five breast cancer survivor paddlers into boats for the Flowers on the Water ceremony. Our newest paddler, Lola, was quite touched by the emotion of it all; as were our supporters onshore cheering everyone on during the lap of Cockle Bay afterwards. The ceremony is a powerful instrument through which we can raise breast cancer awareness. Our supporters who had not seen the ceremony before were amazed at the sheer number of participants on Sunday.

Lee, Dragons Abreast Wagga

My experience of Chinese New Year

As someone who had joined DA ACT two years ago I had never been to CNY. This year I went. Unsure of what to expect I was somewhat apprehensive about paddling at Darling Harbour and if I was up to it! What an experience, it was such great fun and so freeing. Pink everywhere, the atmosphere, the camaraderie, the shared journeys, the belonging. Living in the moment, laughing, a weekend with a great group of women. The paddling was good too!

Well run and organised. I did my best, I participated. The Flowers on the Water Ceremony was a touching and moving experience — as I sat squeezed into a seat beside two DA Sydney paddlers, dropping rose petals into the water, thoughts and feelings flooded my memory. I am grateful to DA ACT for the support, the opportunities and the wonderful women who know how to live and laugh.

Sue (ACT)

Reflections of a nine-year partipant in CNY

Dragons Abreast Australia had a single team at the 2001 Chinese New Year Dragon Boat Regatta, it was a composite team from around Australia, including some of our ACT members. I’ve been to each of the CNY regattas since then, and seen it grow from that single team to the huge pink presence we saw at Darling Harbour this year.

Once we had some competition, in the form of around six to ten DAA teams in the regatta, the ACT team became the stars and we won gold in 2004, silver in 2005. In the past I thought that was important, and in some ways it is, as we all improve our fitness through this wonderful sport of dragonboating. However, what always appeals to me in coming back to CNY each year – this year was number nine for me! – is to see the smiles on the faces of the new people in the boat. For some it is their first regatta, and the newbies are always amazed by the sheer numbers of pink paddlers and the enjoyment which is palpable in the air. We are able to catch up with friends from previous CNY regattas, heaps of hugs are exchanged, and we find out what is happening in other parts of Australia. Unfortunately some of those who participated in those early regattas are no longer with us, but always with us in spirit during Flowers on the Water.

This is the first year that I wasn’t in a boat for FoW, but I took many photos from the shore, and the emotion was the same from the shore as in the boat. Many of the general public were in tears along the shoreline as they cast their flowers into the harbour, and every single person respected the one minute’s silence. I was just so happy that each of our newer paddlers was able to get into a boat to experience the camaraderie of Flowers on the Water at Darling Harbour. And weren’t we lucky to have DA Wagga to help fill our boat for the races! I’ll keep going to CNY as long as it continues to be about participation and raising awareness of breast cancer, which is what Dragons Abreast stands for. Nevertheless, congratulations to DA Sydney and DA Brisbane, both of whom had two full teams, and powered down the course in the finals to win gold and silver!

Jan (DA ACT)

Darling Harbour CNY races are a highlight of the dragon boating calendar – a fun and festive environment - and a wonderful change to fly the flag for Dragons Abreast and truly raise breast cancer awareness amongst a very diverse range of people as this is one event that has lots of general public spectators! This is a very busy weekend and there is much to see and do.