The Island Sisters Dragon Boat team travelled to Nanaimo April 26 for a new and exciting event on the dragon boat racing circuit.
Unfortunately, the event was called after just one heat due to unsafe conditions.
The Island Sisters features paddlers from Port Hardy, Port McNeill, Campbell River and Victoria. Fifteen teams were slated to take part in the inaugural Aqua Determination race at Maffeo-Sutton Park.
The event was different from standard dragon boat racing events. Aqua Determination is a 1,000-metre race set over a loop-shaped course.
This arrangement challenged both the endurance and the technique of competing teams. Most dragon boat races feature straight race courses and are typically 500 metres or less. Teams were also racing in 10-person boats as opposed to the usual 20. The event was hosted by the local dragon boat team, Angels and Demons, a competitive, mixed Nanaimo-based team. Teams were expected to complete the course in around five minutes, competing in mixed and women’s only categories.