Since 1976 Hong Kong has hosted annual dragon boat races and this year the city will play host to the Dragon Boat Carnival from 3 – 5 July.
The competition includes three days of intense action on Victoria Harbour and will see international teams competing for the international grand championships and local teams vying for victory in the President and Chairman Shields.
Representing Australia at the event will be Dragons Abreast Canberra*, the team includes members from three breast cancer survivor (BCS) crews from Canberra and Wagga Wagga in Australia and Vancouver in Canada and together the team will compete in races including the International Breast Cancer Survivor Championship.
Since the first BCS dragon boat team ‘Abreast in a Boat’ was formed in 1996 as part of a study at the University of British Columbia on the impact of exercise on BCS, many BCS have found themselves benefiting from dragon boating, a sport which provides strenuous upper body activity in a socially supportive environment which is now practised around the world.
The Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival also includes some zany elements with the Youth Dragon Boat Training Program, fancy dress race, roving performances and a BeerFest where athletes and supporters can soak up the party atmosphere.
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Photo caption: Dragons Abreast Canberra will be competing at the 2015 Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival from July 3 – 5.
Pictured are: Back row: Frances Heaney (Team Manager and Coach).
Middle row: Kerrie Griffin, Donna Lennon, Patsy Sheales, Val Devlin, Susan Pitt, Annette Dean; Front row: Deb Whitfield-Coach, Denise Brown.
