WOMEN IN DRAGON BOATING
Work as a team and the boat runs smooth.
Dragon Boat Racing is the fastest growing water sport activity in the world today and women are the driving forces of this movement within Canberra, ACT.
Come along for a paddle with us.
Ready. Attention. Go!
Dragon boating originated in China over 2,400 years ago and is considered the world’s oldest surviving team sport. Dragon boat racing involves boats that seat either 10 or 20 paddlers in a crew, with a drummer on the front and a sweep (someone who steers) on the back. These boats usually race distances of between 100 metres to 2000 metres but crews often go for leisure paddle of much longer distances.
Today, Dragon Boating is considered one of the most inclusive sports, welcoming people of all ages, genders and fitness levels. This sport promotes fun and active living while simultaneously offering opportunities for individuals to compete in regional, national, and international competition.
Locally, Canberra has over 600 members across all within 11 clubs including school, social and performance teams, which is all overlooked by Dragon Boat ACT (DBACT). Nine of Canberra's teams consist of mixed genders and 2 teams are female only: Diamond Phoenix and Dragons Abreast. All 11 teams paddle out of Grevillea Park onto Lake Burley Griffin for weekly trainings and monthly regattas.
Paddlers can get involved within Dragon Boating within the ACT from 12 years old. From there Dragon Boating is all about creating a community, therefore whole families, singles and couples all get involved with the sport.
Canberra Dragon Boat ACT (DBACT) is proud to have 3/4 of their membership base identify as women. Within Canberra females are seen taking on roles such as coach, positions on the exec team and filling up whole boats to race in.
DBACT President Donald Jenkin said, "its a friendly and non-contact sport maybe that's why it appeals to so many women of all ages".
But is it the strength, power and dominance of Dragon Boating that appeals to these paddling women?
DBACT Membership Officer and long term paddler of 19 years within the ACT, Sue Pidgeon said, "The fact that so many women are involved is great for women's participation in sport, when so many sports are male dominated"
The Canberra community has continued to build Dragon Boating into a team sport that maintains social connection of all ages and genders.
Kristin ‘Chicki’ Chick has been apart of the Dragon Boating Canberra community for almost 15 years. She has found there to always been a strong representation of women within Canberra.
"Dragon boating gives women a sense of power and empowerment its fight or flight, it releases endorphins and pushes their bodies to places women aren't often seen doing. Dragon Boating gives women the chance to be warriors and attack".
"From the moment I saw women in dragon boats, I was hooked. I love dragon boating, I believe there is nothing more sexy than watching women paddle hard", she said.
They are survivors!
Dragon boating in the world of breast cancer survivors is a huge organisation, driven by some very passionate women.
DBACT Corporate Officer, Frances Heaney said, "Until I was diagnosed with breast cancer myself, I had never heard of it. I was put onto Dragons Abreast by my surgeon. Over 5 gruelling years of surgeries and treatments I continued to get out on the water when I was able to with Dragon's Abreast to gain my upper body strength back"
"I have been to several international breast cancer events around the world with thousands of other women all breast cancer survivors. Again, this organisation is driven women! just saying", Frances said.
ACT Representatives
On Friday the 8th of April, 28-strong Canberra representatives formed the 2022 ACT State Team to compete at the 2022 AusChamps hosted by DBSA at AM Ramsay Regatta Course, West Lakes, Adelaide.
Canberra competed in the premier age group at the 2022 competition, forming a team with a huge age range, the teams youngest representative was 16 and their oldest turned 74 this year. The ACT State team Women 10s boat took home Bronze and Silver in the two races they competed in. Which was a great success for the ACT.
Alongside the athletes, Gillian Styles was nominated as ACT's Flag bearer for the State v State Day flag ceremony. This was in recognition of Gillian's contribution to the Australian Dragon Boat community for 15 + years.
On club competition days at AusChamps, the ACT ladies showed the rest of the country how it was done, qualifying 4 out of the 8 teams in the 200 m Women's Premiers Grand Final. Komodo, Invictus, Griffins and Hydra female boats put their bodies on the line to secure a sport in the top 8 within Australia!
Canberra Loves Paddling!
Dragon Boat ACT has the ACT Government's support, with a $1.3 million facility for dragon boating at Grevillea Park, paddlers are looking forward to having a permanent home. This construction will begin late 2022 with DBACT hoping that the new facilities will attract new members and continue to grow the sport in the ACT.
The importance to keep Dragon Boating growing with Canberra for both community connection and individual social and physical benefits.
Michele Arton, Head Coach of Hydra Paddle Club- Canberra's only youth focused team said, "I love dragon boating because it's a sport that anyone of any age, any size, any shape or any person can do together. Some of my best friends are people I met paddling and who wouldn't want fitness and friends at the same time!".
Lake Burley Griffin is the perfect place to showcase all the sports Canberrans love! And Dragon Boating is sure one of them. Rock up to a Dragon Boat regatta within Canberra and you are bound to hear the calls of a female sweep or drummer, the grunts of an all female boat or a loud cheer after a team huddle.
The future of females is looking strong within the ACT and it is something Canberra should applaud.
Sleep, Eat, Paddle that's the future of Canberra!
For more information about Dragon Boating in the ACT. Check out DBACT webpage for club information and Come & Try Day information . https://www.dbact.com.au/
Produced by Journalism and Sports Media students;
Published by the Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra
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