Victoria dragon boaters are world champions

An Island club, with members from Victoria, is a global dragon boat champion after an impressive performance at the Club Crew World Championships in Italy.

The Gorging Dragons ladies’ premier small boat team took gold in the 200 and 500m races and grabbed silver in the 2,000m race at the 14th edition of the prestigious event, held Sept. 3-8.

“It's a pretty amazing feeling for our women to know that our program, and they as individuals, are now world class,” coach Tom Arnold tells Capital Daily.

The Club Crew World Championships are a massive competition involving the best club teams in the world.

Teams had to finish in the top five in their respective countries to qualify for the event which drew 7K+ athletes representing 500 clubs from 50 nations.

“It was absolutely amazing to see our women have that kind of success on the world stage,” said Arnold, pointing out that the relatively small VI Paddling club was in deep against larger Canadian, European, and Asian clubs.

“It’s kind of a pinch-yourself sort of moment to say, like, you know, hey, we're not even the biggest club in Canada in terms of people, but we're punching way above our weight, and here we are at the top of the podium,” he said.

The Gorging Dragons, who train out of the VI Paddling (VIP) club—which draws paddlers from across the Island—were making a return to the manmade Standiana Regatta Course in Ravenna, two hours’ drive south of Venice. A decade ago, the club placed as high as eighth on that course. The difference, Arnold says, is experience.

“Paddling is a very technical sport, and so it takes several years of dedication to really pay off.” 

The Gorging Dragons feature three returnees from that last trip to Italy: Andree St. Denis, Andrea Smith, and captain Tina Watson-Michaels, all of Victoria.

“A lot of it's just that belief—believing that you can do something, and how that carries you through your training and your races,” he said.

VI Paddling hit the water in 2012, has docks on the Gorge, in Nanaimo and Comox, and has 400+ members from teens to octogenarians.

Victoria may be known for having plenty of events during the summertime, but the fun is continuing well into the colder days. October marks a few different autumnal holidays—Thanksgiving, Halloween, and harvest celebrations from multiple international cultures. 

So it’s no surprise that there are lots of events happening in the city this month—and they’re fit for the foodies in your life. From wine festivals and dinner pairings to cooking classes—and even a chocolate-tasting event (sign me up!)—taking place. 

Check out Tasting Victoria’s list of October food fun.