Skip to content

Vancouver Island athletes named to Dragon Boat Canada Senior B National Team

Team will compete in world championships in Thailand
16763506_web1_DragonBoat
54 athletes on from B.C., Alberta, Quebec and Ontario made it on the Dragon Boat Canada Senior B National Team. The team will compete at the world championships in Thailand in August. (Facebook/Dragon Boat Canada)

Dragon Boat Canada announced its 2019 Senior B National Team on Tuesday, acknowledging the 54 athletes from Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and B.C.

Many of the selected athletes are from Vancouver Island and will represent Canada at the 14th World Nations Championships in Pattaya, Thailand this August in the Senior B (50 plus) division.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Age is just a number for B.C. dragon boat champions

“It’s an incredible group of athletes,” said program director Tom Arnold. “They’re some of the top paddlers from 17 different dragon boat clubs across the country, and they’ve all come together with the singular goal of being the best in the world.”

Some of the athletes have represented Canada before in the Premier, Senior A and Senior B divisions but more than half of the 2019 team will be competing in their first world championships.

“Putting on that Team Canada jersey is a thrill at any age,” Arnold said. “The competition to make national teams is fierce, and it’s exciting to see so many athletes earning that privilege for the first time.”

Tom Arnold is with VI Paddling, as are the program coaches, Andrea Keenan, Andree St Denis and Mallorie Nicholson.

READ ALSO: Ice dragon boat competitor and grandmother of four reflects on the hobby she found late in life

The Senior B Women’s Roster for 2019 features 12 athletes from B.C. and nine of them are from the Island’s VI Paddling club.

The Senior B Open Roster has 13 athletes from B.C. and 11 of them are from the VI Paddling, Comox, NCKC and FGPC dragon boat clubs on the Island.

shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com


Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter