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News From Spain

Submitted by Anna Fumarola and Alicia Ares de Blas.On Saturday July 6th, the first Breast Cancer Paddlers National Dragon Boat Race 'City of Valladolid ' took place in Spain, in the beautiful city of Valladolid. 14 Spanish teams plus an Irish one participated in this amazing initiative with 150 women paddlers who have suffered or are suffering from breast cancer.The host was the Valladolid team Wallkiria Pisuerga, who generously organised an impeccable event of racing, solidarity and fun where a...

News From Germany

Submitted by Christina (Pink Dragonistas Hannover).The third pink cup was again part of the “Drachenbootfestival Hannover”. For the 28th festival edition on Pentecost weekend, 11 BCS teams colored Lake Maschsee in downtown Hannover pink.This year, we welcomed pink composite teams from different German clubs – some even experienced their first regatta ever. There was also a Go Europe team formed of paddlers from around Europe as well as our dear friends from Denmark, the Copenhagen Dragonbo...

Editor's Report

I was sitting in the boat on the night of our first practice when I heard someone crying behind me.  I thought that maybe I had splashed too much water or that my reach had encroached in her space.  I turned around and Jenny said, “I dreamed about this during chemo.”  That’s the impact of dragon boating and that’s why we do what we do.  Read more about Jenny’s story in this edition of the newsletter. The registrations for France 2026 are incredible.  This ...

Paddle With A Purpose

By Cindy Crowell.Director of Public Relations.Paddles with a Purpose.Five years ago, in July 2019, a group of remarkable women came together to form Paddles with a Purpose, a Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat team in Austin, Texas. On July 18th they gathered to celebrate their strength, resilience, and the incredible journey they have been on together for the past 5 years.Paddles with a Purpose was founded just before the world was shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the unprecedented ...

Dragica's Story

Submitted by Dragica Maric.From Newbie to Australian Championship paddler.Dragons Abreast Melbourne Pink Phoenix member Australia.I was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer at the age of 44. At the time, I unfortunately didn't want to talk about breast cancer to others, and I didn't want to be around other women who had breast cancer or who were undergoing breast cancer treatment.However, in early 2023, everything had changed, and by mid 2023 I had approached Dr Monique Ryan MP to assist me wit...

Scams

Submitted by Louise Granaham.It is amazing to be able to use technology to follow races, communicate with teammates, get information about regattas, etc.  Sadly, scammers are also a part of technology.  During the New Zealand 2024 Festival, a number of bogus Facebook pages tried to use our feed and then connect with people who were unaware that this was not from the IBCPC. These scams have happened again at the most recent festival in Auckland and at Worlds in Thailand, so there i...

Lagon Dragon Belfast

Submitted by Brenda Mulligan. We at Lagan Dragons have been fundraising this year by hosting Pre-Loved Clothes sales. We invited everyone along for a browse, a cuppa and a traybake. We would like to thank everyone who came along to support our fundraising events in Belfast on 23rd March and Lisburn on 20th April. Both events were hugely successful and we would like to thank everyone who donated clothes, baked delicious traybakes and to everyone who came along to replenish their wardrob...

Editor's Report

Submitted by Louise Granahan.It feels so good to be paddling again here in Canada after a long absence.  While our winter wasn’t very severe this year (in Toronto anyway), we can’t paddle from November to April/May. I hope that by now you have been able to register for France 2026.  I can’t believe it is only 2 years away.  The time will fly by!  There are so many things to think about already – will I need a new passport, will I need visas for the other countrie...

Special Announcement from Brazil

It is with great pride that we announce to the breast cancer paddling community and all those interested that Larissa Lima is the supervisor of the Dragon Boat modality for the Brazilian Canoeing Federation (CBCa). A canoe athlete, Larissa won several titles and medals in Brazil and beyond.  Larissa is a breast cancer survivor, and is the founder and captain of Canomama, the first Brazilian breast cancer team.  Congratulations, Larissa!  The Pink Remadoras of Brazil movement ...

News From Brazil

Submitted by Thays Oliveira.The year in which the Remadoras Rosa do Brasil turns 10, there is news about new teams, the return of the dragon boat in the Brazilian Canoeing Confederation and the training of athletes!Brazil is a country of great diversity, both in its physical aspects, and in its culture. Given the high growth in breast cancer cases in our country, the practice of physical activity as a determining factor in preventing and maintaining health is extremely relevant. Here in Brazil, ...

Composite Teams

Submitted by Louise Granahan.I decided to start a composite team for France 2026. This was the first time I have done this, and I learned a lot, so I wanted to share some of what I learned with you.At first, I had hoped it would be a Canadian team, but in order to fill the boat, I let in some others who were interested. It then became an international team, which is wonderful. I did not allow people to join if their own team was going unless that boat was full.When making a team, you need to be ...

News From Germany

Submitted by Nicole Zander.Photos by Detlev Kalter, Anka and BirgitDe Pinke Deerns, Bremen, GermanyOur team was founded in May 2023, and became a member of the IBCPC in October 2023. We will be participants in Aix les Bains in August 2026!To start our season this year, we had to wait until floods were thing of the past.The flow speed of the Weser River has normalized, so we started to paddle on April 2nd, 2024 in Bremen.The football stadium, “Weser-Stadion“, is our paddling territory, you ca...

Malaga Dragon Boat BCS

The Malaga Dragon Boat BCS (Breast Cancer Survivor) team is pioneer in Andalusia in this activity and the fourth team in Spain. It was created in 2018 by the oncologist Julia Ruiz Vozmediano. She started this activity in the city of Malaga with the support of the Real Club Mediterráneo, one of the most important and historical paddling clubs in the country.It is currently made up of more than 30 women, who practice this sport in two different styles, rowing bench-fixed and dragon boat paddeling...

News From Chile

By Paula FaríasCeremony "El Despertar de los Dragones”On March 10, 2024 the Fortale-Senos Chile team had the honor and blessing of awakening two majestic boats, the dragon "Shenlong" and the dragoness "Idolas".This is one of the many dreams that have been fulfilled thanks to the work and commitment of each of the team members, who "DECREED" with all our strength to make these dreams come true.The Dragon "Shenlong", has a beautiful story that began in 2019. Looking for someone who was related ...

News From Argentina

The year 2024 burst onto the scene with a wave of good news for the Amazonas de Córdoba Foundation.  Just a few years ago, in 2017, they were just a small group of women who, against all odds, achieved the unimaginable. But now, they've surpassed all expectations, extending their support to more women than they ever thought possible.From those early days to the present, Amazonas de Córdoba has become a beacon of hope for over 190 women and one man who have bravely faced breast cancer. &nb...

Nova Scotia Advocacy

I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma - Breast Cancer in Feb 2022 at the age of 56. I was working over 30 years in a career that I enjoyed, preparing for retirement but feeling like I had many more years to contribute to my career and I had 2 children in University.After I got over the shock of my diagnosis I soon settled in for the fight and developed a pattern in my daily thoughts. These thoughts became a focus for me during surgery and treatment:I am a strong woman, and I will get th...

Paddles Up from Southern California!

Submitted by Bette Ann Baker.The Los Angeles Pink Dragons are celebrating our 21st year of paddling out of Mother’s Beach in Long Beach, California.It is hard to out-do last year’s IBCPC festival in New Zealand, but we’re trying to keep it going! We thoroughly enjoyed Lake Karapiro and meeting so many of you; it was certainly a highlight for us.This year will be more subtle; but we’ve already had a couple of pre-season events.In February 2024 we were honored by California State Long Beac...

Linked In Pinks

Submitted by JoAnne Moore.Members of Linked in Pinks representing ten BCS teams in the USA and Canada traveled to Mexico in late January to participate in Mexico’s first dragon boat festival “Rosa Mexicano.” in Puerto Aventuras, Mexico. The 4-day festival included paddling training sessions on the beach each morning led by LIPS founder JoAnn Moore, National Representative Ruth Ortiz Castro (Colombia) and LIPS sisters. Afternoons were filled with educational seminars on nutrition, survivor ...

Chemo Savvy

2024 Season Off To A Strong StartThe beginning of February marks the annual start of dryland training for Chemo Savvy in Winnipeg, Canada. Although we are in the depth of winter, we are fortunate to have dedicated workout space and amazing trainers available to us at Balmoral Hall.Weekly, we will meet to work on our fitness, strength and flexibility, Spring is just around the corner, and as always, we hope for an early one so that we can hopefully get on the water sometime in May.Our team of jus...

Team Awards

Compiled by Louise Granahan.Does you team have an awards ceremony? Do you recognize teammates who make special contributions to your team at an end of year dinner?Here are some ideas for some serious and silly awards that you might want to hand out to say thank you to teammates and volunteers.Most SpiritedBest fundraiserBest AttitudeBest Practice Attendance AwardEnergizer Bunny (Most Energy)Best rookieIn Sync awardMost Heart for the SportCoach’s Award (good listening, shows a lot of passion)Mo...

Auckland Anniversary Day

Submitted by Katherine Waller.Monday, January 29th, 2024, the Auckland Viaduct basin came alive with the vibrant sights and sounds of dragon boat racing as part of the 184th Oceanbridge Auckland Anniversary Day regatta celebrations. There was a lot of excitement being able to get on the water for this event due to the last 3 years being canceled due to Covid and the horrendous weather bomb that hit us last year causing devastating flooding across the city and wider areas.Cindy, one of our more e...

Sport Accord Summit

Submitted by Meri Gibson.What an adventure it was to be able to get to the SportAccord on time. I finished my role as Event Safety Director at the New Zealand Dragon Boat National championships, hopped in a car and drove two hours to Auckland to get ready to board a flight to Dubai with a short stop over and then on to Birmingham. I had been flying for 25 hours plus the wait time of two hours in between connections in Dubai. I arrived on a Sunday afternoon in Birmingham only to be told that I ha...

Abreast of Life – Christchurch

Submitted by Janice Melville.Dragon Boat Nationals – April 5th-6th, 2024The New Zealand dragon boat Nationals were held at Lake Karapiro, Cambridge. The same place as the Festival last year. This year we had lovely weather on the Friday and Saturday. It got to about 28 degrees on the Saturday and no wind!Our team was one of seven teams competing in the breast cancer standard boat division and one of nine completing in the small boat division. We had a very early start on the Friday morning, wi...

Olympic Flame

This Olympic year will be a busy one for the Dragon Ladies. No medal in sight, of course, but an extraordinary showcase. Three French crews will be represented among the torchbearers.The Olympic flame arrived on French soil on 8 May, in Marseille (Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur region). It has to travel 12,000 kilometres before arriving in Paris on 26 July.During this voyage, which will shed light on the history of France and those who wrote it, on our natural heritage, on French creativity and kno...

Limerick

Limerick breast cancer survivors find camaraderie and fitness through dragon boat padding.Read article below....