Eastern District Dragonboat Races

WORDS: RUSS AUSTIN AND GIANNI APREA | IMAGES: ROYAL X

efore 0800hrs on Sunday 25 September, excitement was building in Chai Wan as hundreds of paddlers arrived at the Cargo Handling Basin for a welcome return of dragon boat races. Often referred to as ‘the favorite races in an industrial estate’ with its distinctive setting, the Club’s Royal X dragon boat team was delighted to participate again after a three-year hiatus.

It was pleasantly surprising to see the water in the basin appeared largely clear of debris and the warm sunny weather with light breeze made for excellent race conditions. The Chai Wan event is a colorful spectacle and highly competitive with many excellent local teams racing over 40m. In addition to the standard dragon boats with 22 paddlers, seeing the long boats with 50 paddlers compete further adds to the atmosphere. The event also won the accolade for being the loudest dragon boat races with high-volume commentary blaring from speakers throughout the day – especially for those, like Royal X, whose marquee was adjacent to loudspeakers. Royal X entered two boats in the mixed standard category with 24 teams competing: Both Royal X Blue and Yellow crew made perfect starts in their first heats of the morning with convincing wins. In the second heats Royal X Blue finished an impressive 2nd place and Royal X Yellow placed 4th among strong competition. Consequently, Royal X Blue reached the Gold Cup final whilst Royal X Yellow proceeded to the Gold Plate final. The final races in the early afternoon were very close and it was a commendable achievement for both Royal X boats to make the podium, finishing 3rd place in their respective finals with Royal X Blue narrowly missing 2nd place. After collecting trophies and medals many Royal X participants retreated to Kellett Island for some well-deserved refreshments, reflection and team bonding.

Whilst the results may not have reached the high expectations of continuing our streak of 4 consecutive overall victories in Chai Wan, it was a great day of racing and invaluable experience. This was especially true for many new paddlers who joined the team this year, some of whom had not previously raced in the heavier fiberglass and wooden boats. The experience and lessons learned proved to be great preparation for subsequent races. Evident throughout the day was the excellent teamwork and positive spirit of the entire Royal X team. Thanks, as always, must go to the coaches and captains for ensuring the team was well prepared after many weeks of rigorous training and for the smooth race management on the day. Royal X look forward to returning to the Chai Wan races next year – we’ll remember to bring ear plugs!