By Eagle Times Staff
The emerging sport of Dragon Boat racing, seen as a demonstration sport at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, had a big weekend in Vermont.
U.S. and Canadian teams held 3-day regattas for their Crew Club National Championships. The U.S. National championship took place in the heat and humidity of Saratoga, Fla., at the Nathan Benderson flat water paddling venue.
Dragonheart Vermont, a breast cancer survivor and supporter paddling club from Burlington, travelled to the competition with 40 other clubs from all around the nation.
Their flagship breast cancer survivor team, Dragonheart Vermont Sisters, won their Breast Cancer Paddler Small Boat division, dominating all three days and taking gold medals in the 200M, 500M and 2000M races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The three wins secured them a berth to represent the United States at the Crew Club World Championships in Ravenna, Italy, in September 2024.
The Sisters were not the only Dragonheart teams to win a trip to the World Championships. The Burlington club fielded 6 other teams in different age-based and boat-size divisions — Premier Mixed-Dragonflyers, Premier Women-Fire, Senior B Women — 802 Spirit, Senior C Women- Bia, Senior C Mixed- Quicksilver and Premier Open-Green Mountain Men. Five of the six teams were lucky enough to win berths to Italy.
Each year, Dragonheart Vermont holds the Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival, its largest fundraiser of the year, having raised more than $1.1M over the last 17 years for local charities including, CampTaKumTa, Radiation Oncology at UVMMC and the McClure Miller Respite House.
This year’s festival, at Burlington’s Waterfront Park on Aug. 6, will include races, a beer tent, food vendors and kids activities.
A flower ceremony will honor those who have died and those who are thriving after their breast cancer journey. Information at www.dragonheartvermont.org.
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