The Killarney Dragon Boat Racing Club
(KDBRC), racing as the Clarkdale Jetta Dragons for 2012, had a terrifically
successful season. Though the season started late because of the on-going
labour dispute which saw teachers unable to coach high school teams, this lost time
was more than made up by the support of our sponsor Clarkdale Motors of Vancouver
and our coaches. Due to unforeseen circumstances we had to change our coach
part way through the season, but both coaches proved to be knowledgeable and
committed members of our team.
We participated in three regattas. The
Junior Regatta on May 5, the Dragon Zone 500 on June 3 and the Rio Tinto Alcan
International Dragon Boat Festival on the weekend of June 18/19. At the Junior
regatta, which features only local teams, we placed 5th in the ‘B’
final, while at the Dragon Zone 500, a mixed adult/youth regatta, we placed 2nd
in the ‘D’ final.
The Rio Tinto Alcan is a premier world-class
event featuring approximately 180 Vancouver and international teams. Youth
teams are placed in separate heats and feature some of the best youth teams in
the world. We were proud to paddle into the ‘B’ division final, where we placed
8th, a mere six seconds
behind the 1st place team. This was one of the closest youth finals
I have ever seen and showed how well the Jetta Dragons did as a team—more than
half of whom had never paddled before this year.
The season finished with a terrific
team dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Gastown.
I am incredibly grateful to Clarkdale
Motors of Vancouver for their sponsorship and support. Also thanks to our
coaches Precidia Tom and Michelle Ta for their time, care, and expertise in
getting us to an elite level in such a short time. But mostly I want to thank
the students of Killarney for their commitment and their passion. It is an honour
and privilege to work with such wonderful young people.
This season could not have happened
without the generous support of our community sponsor
Clarkdale Volkswagen on Main St. in Vancouver. I hope that this partnership can
continue and that it has proven to be as fruitful to Clarkdale as it has been
for the KDBRC.
Thank you to everyone who helped make
the 2012 season such a success.
Paddles Up!
Stuart Mackinnon
Manager/Founder
Killarney Dragon
Boat Racing Club
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