Dear Dragon Boat Canada Member,
This weekend, as I finished conducting the third Team Canada Senior A tryout camp it struck me how awesome Team Canada is, and I mean Team Canada in the broad sense. I would like to congratulate every paddler across Canada who trained, raced and challenged themselves and their teammates to maximize their potential in 2018.
A few outstanding performances of note:
- Congratulations to the 27 members of Canada’s World Cup team that represented all of us at the 3rd IDBF World Cup in Chongqing, China. The World Cup is dragon boat’s highest-performance event (think World Cup of Soccer). This group placed second overall over the 3-day, 5-event competition. Canada’s best result ever at a World Cup. Capturing 1st overall in the 1000m Team Pursuit was an outstanding accomplishment and the first time Canada has stood atop a World Cup podium.
For complete IDBF World Cup results click here.
View the Team Canada’s World Cup roster here.
- Congratulations to the 400+ athletes and coaches that competed for Canadian club crews at the 11th Club Crew World Championships in Szeged, Hungary. Canada’s performances were simply dominant and a credit to the quality and quantity of dragon boat knowledge and racing in Canada. This event featured Canada’s most successful international competition ever.
The next Club Crew World Championships is scheduled for August 24-30, 2020 in Aux Des Bains, France.
For complete IDBF Club Crew World Championships results click here.
In addition to maintaining our incredible performances on-the-water Dragon Boat Canada is very proud to be leading many initiatives to grow and improve our sport off the water:
- Throughout 2019 several special activities are planned to celebrate Dragon Boat Canada’s 25thAnniversary, culminating with the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Canadian Championships in Regina, Saskatchewan, July 18-21. If you have a cost-effective idea or suggestion how DBC can celebrate 25 years we would love to hear from you
- In November we will be hosting the first ever National Team Program Directors retreat. All Team Canada Program Directors and representatives of the Board of Directors and High-Performance Committee will be gathering to communicate, collaborate and continue to forge an improved Team Canada program for all-ages. I’m extremely energized by this event as these coaches have done so much to grow our sport from grassroots to high-performance and there will be an incredible wealth of current dragon boat racing knowledge and experience together
- Expanding our Race Series program which highlights and assists all regattas that can be used to qualify athletes for CCWC’s and PACCC’s. Our Festival Director (Lindsay Wingham-Smith) is conducting webinars throughout October to educate festival organizers to the benefits and important functions of DBC Race Series events
- Launching the Spordle ID registration platform which will feature improved and expanded functions
Identifying, utilizing and recognizing volunteers is a critical strategy of DBC’s moving forward. I’d like to recognize some key volunteers that embody the spirit of community that represents Dragon Boating in Canada.
Lyne Lariviere (22D) and Michael Sim (CSDC) have been instrumental in the testing, review and development of the DBC registration platform and are examples of how important volunteers are to our paddling experience.
Jeff Holubeshen continues to work hard to improve our appearance both online and in the water in the development of our brand identity.
Will Slater (VIP) and Ron Stubbington (VIP) as representatives of the sense of collective team that we are striving to develop. Will and Ron donated their time and expertise to the Senior A tryout camp referenced at the beginning of my letter and were both critical to its success and positive and constructive in their attitudes no matter the circumstances. I have met dozens of Will’s and Ron’s throughout my Canadian Dragon Boat journey and I truly believe this skill of volunteerism, of teamwork is foundational to the successes we as a racing country are experiencing.
I’d like to thank Will, Ron, Lyne, Michael, The Board, Committee Members and all volunteers throughout the country who donate their time, expertise and spirit to our sport.
Paddles Up!
Scott Murray – President
Team DBC
2018 World Cup
2018 World Cup
