Hall of Fame

Albert has been a part of the Canadian competitive Dragon Boat scene from its earliest days.

He was a member of the Premier Open team which won gold at the first CCWC in 1996, went on to compete in eight WRCCs between 1997 and 2011 in the premier and Sr A racing classes, and competed in the 2022 CCWC in Sr C. over the course of his racing career, he has won a total of 40 medals (25 of them gold) in international competition.

In addition to being an exceptional paddler, Albert has also been a medal winning coach, serving as Program Director for the Canadian Sr A Open and Mixed crews in 2009 and the Sr A Mixed crew in 2011.

Albert has had a 27 year career coaching and promoting Dragon Boat at camps, clinics, and building programs on Lake Banook. He is the founder and President of the Dartmouth Dragon Boat Association which, for 17 years, has established and conducted programs for dragon boaters from beginner to international levels, including a BPS crew, of which he is extremely proud. Additionally, he negotiated a partnership with the Halifax Regional Municipality to deliver community programs, resulting in the lease of a new multi million dollar facility on Lake Banook, dedicated to the sport of Dragon Boat.

Albert has also been a supporter of Dragon Boat Canada from its inception and served as a member of the Board of Directors from 2009 until 2013.

Kamini Jain made her debut in Dragon Boat racing in 1990 at the Hong Kong dragon Boat Festival and then, in 1996, followed up in Vancouver at the first CCWC, winning gold in Premier Mixed. Since then she has been an unparalleled motivator, particularly for women, as an athlete/ leader and as coach/athlete.

Kamini exemplifies a true Champion and her extraordinary leadership has been a keystone in the development of Dragon Boat racing across Canada over the past two decades. She says that her greatest accomplishment is to be able to develop paddlers and motivate them to rise to a high standard. Crews she has coached has won a combined total of over 30 medals at WRCCs and CCWCS.

Kamini has been a member of the False Creek racing and Canoe Club for over thirty years. She continues to race and pursue excellence as both an athlete and a coach, appearing on the podium year after year at Canadian Nationals.

Kamini has made a significant contribution, not only to Dragon Boat racing, but also to Dragon Boat Canada. She provided leadership during the early years as a member of the DBC Board of Directors and she currently serves as a Course Facilitator for both the Community and Competitive Coaching Certification.

Dragon Boat is not the only paddle discipline Kamini excels in. In 2000, she competed at the Olympic Games in Women’s K-4. She has competed numerous times in the IVF World Championships in both Sprint and Distance and has served as a coach for the Canadian Teams. In 2022 her contribution to Outrigger racing in Canada was recognized when she was inducted into the CORA Hall of Fame.

We are fortunate to have Kamini as an integral part of the Canadian Dragon Boat scene and we look forward to her continuing presence for many years to come.

Stephen has been a part of the Canadian Dragon Boat scene since the sport was introduced in Canada at Expo 88. Since then he has competed in numerous CCWCs and WRRCs as both an athlete and a coach. He was a member of the Sr A National Team from 1999-2005, Sr B from 2007-2013, and Sr C in 2015 and 2017. He has been a champion of senior age racing classes was instrumental in their introduction at both the national and international level.

To date, in a career spanning forty-three years, Stephen has coached over one hundred teams. He was one of the founders of the Outer Harbour Dragon Boat Club where he continues to coach corporate and community crews.

Stephen’s greatest passion is introducing people to our sport, regardless of their age, background or fitness level. He aims to give them a chance to better themselves, make new friends and socialize, and to foster a fun and successful team atmosphere. As he can often be heard to say: “ it’s a lifetime sentence.”