The Nanaimo Dragonboat Festival featured fast-paced paddling 乌鸦传媒� the only time the action slowed down was to let a pod of killer whales pass.
The visit from the orcas on Saturday, right in front of Maffeo Sutton Park, was one of numerous highlights of the Save-On-Foods Nanaimo Dragonboat Festival this past weekend, July 5-7.
乌鸦传媒淭hat was a first, and it was a very exciting first,乌鸦传媒� said Leslie Sutton, Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival Society spokeswoman, about the visit from the killer whales.
Arlene Witham, one of the Quality Foods Blu By U paddlers, said she couldn乌鸦传媒檛 believe it when the orcas surfaced so close. Later, she joked to one of the directors, 乌鸦传媒淗ow did you pull that one off?乌鸦传媒� she said.
乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 never happened before. It was just incredible, and they had a baby with them, so that was just awesome,乌鸦传媒� Witham said. 乌鸦传媒淓veryone was completely enthralled by it.乌鸦传媒�
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Other than the short orca delay, things pretty much went to plan over the festival weekend.
乌鸦传媒淭he weather, unfortunately, was not our friend, so we had fewer spectators down there, but for the paddlers, it乌鸦传媒檚 just water 乌鸦传媒� the races went well,乌鸦传媒� Sutton said.
Witham said despite the rain, the seas were calm, and said practices in the channel are often held on much choppier water.
乌鸦传媒淵es, we did get wet, but it is a water sport, right? And it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 cold rain. Yes, you乌鸦传媒檙e wet, but c乌鸦传媒檈st la vie乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮綕 Witham said. 乌鸦传媒淧eople were still laughing and having fun in the [park]. It乌鸦传媒檚 not the first time that people have been rained on in festivals.乌鸦传媒�
As far as race results, paddlers set a fast pace out on the water. This year乌鸦传媒檚 event saw a new addition to the itinerary, the Guts and Glory challenge, with paddlers taking on a 1,500-metre course.
The first Guts and Glory champions are the Nanaimo Paddling Centre乌鸦传媒檚 Nusa乌鸦传媒橪on Dragons, who won the women乌鸦传媒檚 race Saturday in a time of nine minutes, 51.66 seconds. The FCRCC Saggin乌鸦传媒� Dragons were second and the Snapping Dragons came third. Sunday saw the mixed Guts and Glory race, won by the Navy Dragon Anchors in 8:14.35. The Fairway Gorge Paddling Club Rebel Alliance placed second with the Save-On-Foods Dragonslayers third.
In the women乌鸦传媒檚 platinum A final, Chix With Stix won in 2:21.73, ahead of the Nusa乌鸦传媒橪on Dragons and Stroke the Dragon.
The festival乌鸦传媒檚 fastest final was in the mixed platinum A division, where the FGPC乌鸦传媒檚 Rebel Alliance crossed the finish line in 1:59.98. The Navy Dragon Anchors were runners-up and the Dragonslayers placed third.
In the breast cancer survivors乌鸦传媒� A final, Abreast in a Boat Fortitude won a close race in 2:30.50, edging out Sistership Dragon Boat Association and Abreast in a Boat Deas Divas.
For more results, .
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