Events

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The National Dragon Boat Championships: 28 March 2009

Judith Overington reports on yet another "Golden" regatta for Busting With Life...

  Busting With Life has just completed a very successful season by winning gold and retaining the National Championship trophy in the Breast Cancer division final at the Nationals held at Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) in Rotorua.

We gathered on Friday for a relaxing barbecue at our weekend base - Blue Lake Campground. On Saturday we had four races against Open and Corporate teams in the lead-up to the ultimate race - the Breast Cancer Division final. We were ecstatic to win the title of national Champion once again with the competition becoming tougher with each regatta this season. Following the Final, we had a moving "flowers on the water" ceremony which was held close to shore where we could see all the other teams and supporters and the respect they have for breast cancer paddlers. Then, as we paddled in, we were very honoured to be greeted by a haka performed by the young Rotorua boys who were helping with crew loading. That capped off a wonderful day on the water for us!


Later we attended the prize-giving where we received our Gold medals and championship cup. On Sunday morning we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast with all the breast cancer survivor teams. During this breakfast, Trici Nelson (founder of Breast Cancer dragon boating in NZ, and founder of Busting With Life) spoke, followed by both new and long-serving paddlers from each team - all sharing their dragon boating and team membership experiences. Leslie Ash and Robyn Brown represented our team very eloquently - thank you to them.

Thank you also to our fabulous coach Sean for getting us to the level where we can keep on winning; to our manager Ocke for making sure everyone had accommodation and transport; to our captain Kelly for making sure we were all doing what we needed to do; and to our president Deb for holding it all together and thinking of all the little details that needed to be sorted.

We look forward to next season !!!!

Check out the Gallery for more photos.

 

Lake Pupuke: 14 March 2009

Winning is Habit Forming !!!
On 14 March, Busting With Life competed in the North Shore City Regional Dragon Boat Championships on Lake Pupuke. The early morning mist cleared to reveal a beautiful day, and the lake shone like a mirror. But, this was not to last ... as the day progressed the temperature dropped and rain showers moved in. The weather could not dampen this team's enthusiasm though. BWL competed in 5 races - all on a long 580 meter course! ... and took out the Breast Cancer Survivor final in a photo finish - pipping silver medalists Pink Dragons at the finish line. Boobops took the bronze position. It was an agonising wait for the results! Following the final, Breast Cancer Survivor teams rafted together for the traditional flower ceremony, with some well chosen words by BWL captain Kelly Smith.

BWL's win was celebrated at the prize giving ceremony held at R'Toto's, with Judith Overington accepting the cup and medals on the team's behalf.

The team's "home bake" and "wheelbarrow wine/beer raffle" were a great success - raising over $1,100 for the team's activities.

Tauranga Super 12:  14 February 2009

Veteran BWL paddler Clare Brown, after 10+ years on the team, writes on the most recent regatta ...

The Tauranga Super 12 is very popular with the team and was held this year on 14 February. Unlike last year, the weather was perfect. Only 12 paddlers are required in each race so with the popularity of the event we took it in turns to paddle.

We had five races in all including the Breast Cancer Division race. Five boats competed; Busting With Life, BooBops, Waikato Treasure Chests, Pink Dragons and, competing for the very first time, a team from Taranaki. Busting With Life had a very good race, winning by a good margin and breaking the one minute record for the course. To be honest the record was only broken with the assistance of a huge outgoing tide which almost carried the team under a wharf at the end of the race.

After the race, the breast cancer teams rafted together for a flower ceremony which is very sad as it gives us a moment to reflect, but then we turn our attention to the present, all our friends, and a great day on the water.

We also competed in an Open Division Final, finishing third, ahead of mixed teams.

Our thanks go to Sean, our excellent coach, and the team manager, Ocke. Thanks guys.

 

Hamilton Super 12: 29 November 2008

The 2008 - 2009 regatta season got off to a brilliant start with the Hamilton Super 12 on 29 November 08. The Waikato put on a fabulous day - bright sunshine, calm waters, an easy breeze - perfect conditions to accompany great organisation, a huge turn-out, and wonderful comraderie on and off the water. Busting With Life flew through 5 races, winning their open division semi-final, and coming second by only a whisker in the Breast Cancer final (congratulations to the home team BooPops).

New team member Leslie Ash writes about her first regatta experience...

The anticipation for a "newbee" of the first regatta held both excitement and a bad case of the nerves as we arrived at Hamilton Lake for the first Super 12 regatta of the season.

The day was, in a nutshell, gorgeous! Calm water, bright sunshine and clear conditions made it a paddler's dream.

The team (with able assistance from Ocker and Dave) quickly assembled tent, awnings and umbrellas like a well-oiled machine. The scene all around us was similar... Big BBQs and chilly bins, guitars, singing, and of course the coffee and ice cream wagons to complete the scene.

Coach Sean prepped us all for the first race and with nervous butterflies we set up and headed out to the start line. The splashing and sparks flew as we powered up and all around us the shouting and tactics of the other teams could be heard. The spirit of competition is alive and well in the mighty Waikato.

Nothing quite prepares you for the rush of your first race! You forget to breathe, you wonder how you will ever keep up with the seasoned talent already on the boat and all you can think about is keeping time and not clashing antlers with the paddles front and stern of you. The legs feel like jelly when you climb out of the boat and you have a silly grin on your face!

That grin only got bigger as we powered through 5 races. Our performance was solid throughout the day. We won our semi final in the open division and came second in the Breast Cancer race. A great day with a great team!

One of the "newbees" was heard to say at the end of the day, "That was about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on!".

Onwards and upwards for the girls.

 

Auckland National Dragon Boat Festival: 29 March 2008

In 2007, Busting With Life was pipped at the post for the Championship Shield by Christchurch’s Abreast in a Boat, but not this year !!!

Busting With Life saved its best for the 5th and final race of the day to win the NZ Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Championship Shield, missing the gold medal by only a whisker to the visiting 80-20 Dragons Abreast Gold Coast (80% of the team being breast cancer survivors.

The Nationals were held for the first time on Lake Pupuke on Auckland’s North Shore. This was an exciting new venue for Dragon Boating in New Zealand, providing a full 500 metre  course and excellent spectator viewing.

Go to gallery to view more photos

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Wellington Dragon Boat Festival: 15 & 16 March 2008

Wellington put on magnificent blue skies and calm waters for its annual dragon boat festival. The weather brought out cheering crowds to urge on the 1800 competitors and 72 teams from around the country for the 1st day of the event. Wellington City Council's WCC Conquerors took the gold in the corporate grand championship final, and Masterton's JNL team took honours in the open section.

The Wellington Festival did not have a breast cancer division, so survivor teams competed against mixed teams (guys and gals) in the Open Social section. Busting With Life brought home the bronze medal in this category, the top finishing position for breast cancer teams all day, and the team's first medal in an Open Social Grand Final. And - they did so while being short 2 paddlers. Quite an accomplishment for this determined lot of ladies and their coach Sean Ogden.

... Bring on the National Championships !!!

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Tauranga

Super 12: 1 March 2008Another success for Busting With Life - winning the breast cancer final in the 2nd annual Tauranga Super 12. Not even the blustery weather and strong currents could deter our ladies as they left even mixed teams (guys and gals) in their wake. The team celebrated in fine style at the post regatta medal ceremony with the odd glass of bubbly and wine, followed by a team dinner.

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Tiger Beer Dragon Boat Festival - 16th February 2008

Held in Auckland's Viaduct Harbour, the festival was brought forward this year to coincide with the Chinese New Year. The timing provided a reminder to all of the sport's long history and roots.

Congratulations to Busting Wth Life for winning the Breast Cancer Grand Final, Hamilton City Watersports for knocking KPC off their crown as Open Grand Final Champions, and the Airforce…winners of the Corporate Grand Final and recipients of $28,000.00 towards airfares from Cathay Pacific to race at the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Festival in June later this year!

Breast Cancer Grand Final:	Time:
Gold - Busting With Life	1:28:93
Silver - Boobops	1:29:15
Bronze - Ascot Radiology Pink Dragons	1:33:39

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