As the paddling season nears its end, the Kootenay Robusters recently brought home gold medals in the Women’s Gold Division of the Penticton Dragon Boat Festival. This event is one of the largest and most competitive in B.C., attracting teams from all over the province and as far away asToronto.
Nearby wildfires had created smoky conditions and weather forecasts threatened severe thunderstorms, so organizers decided to run 250 metre sprints instead of the traditional 500 metre races. This meant that the paddling was fast and furious as teams had to make every stroke count, with no room for any mistakes.
The Robusters have been working hard all season to build strength, endurance and precise paddling skills. While other teams often make a lot of noise while racing, the Robusters use all their energy to coordinate their efforts. Team members range in age from 21 to 80, and come in all shapes and sizes, but they have to move as a perfectly synchronized unit to be effective..
Coach Joy Anderson commented,” We focus in our boat and ignore whatever is going on around us in order to keep our paddles pulling through the water together and with power.”
Last month, at the Harrison Lake festival, the team was thrilled to win third place medals in a lower division so everyone was pleased with the improvement shown in Penticton. As one paddler put it, “I just knew we were going to do well. I could picture us wearing gold medals.”
After the Robusters pack their equipment away at the end of the season, look for them in your local communities selling their popular calendars featuring the beautiful scenery of our region as well as raffle tickets for a yearly draw. Funds raised keep fees for the paddling program low, so any woman who wants to take part can become a Robuster. As well, the Robusters make yearly donations to Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital for the needs of oncology patients.
For more information about the team, visit www.kootenayrobusters.com.