Dragons Abreast Canberra Social and Corporate Regatta, Saturday 10 November 2018 - Julie Kesby, Coordinator Report.

Our DA Canberra Social and Corporate Regatta is conducted annually to raise awareness of breast cancer in the Canberra region through the sport of dragon boat racing. Funds raised from the event allow Dragons Abreast Canberra, and Dragons Abreast Australia (DAA) to continue their work in promoting dragon boating to breast cancer survivors as a beneficial exercise. The event also celebrates wellness, fitness, fun and camaraderie for all regatta participants, breast cancer survivors and their supporters.

Thanks to all 12 teams for embracing the Masquerade theme: The two Girl Guides teams “Christines” and “The Phantoms”; the two KPMG teams “Juliet” and “Romeo”; The Third Age Matters team “MasquerAGE”, “Project Fit Mum and Co.”; The US Embassy team “Breast Friendz”; “Eurostars”; “Finance”; “Grammar Gremlins”; “Hotel Realm”; and “The Canberra Hospital (TCH) Oncology”.

We were grateful for the terrific weather for the regatta and celebrated our 18th regatta in our 19th year of Dragons Abreast Canberra in a festive atmosphere: with face painting thanks to Chris Durkin volunteer (Alisha) from Happy Faces; Lion dancing from the Prosperous Mountain Lion Dance Group; cupcakes, muffins and slices and pink merchandise from DA Canberra Cake and Merchandise stalls; BBQ services from Diamond Phoenix, Coffee services from Cafe2U; fruit for our paddlers and volunteers from Fyshwick Fruit Markets (Ziggys); catering for 40 of our volunteers from Hotel Realm; professional photography from Chris Holly, Holimage, Akka Ballenger Constantin, and Michael Daniel; and the wonderfully planted Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) Pink Field of Women.

Regatta results:

• Maggie Sharp perpetual trophy for the Fastest Female Team - Fastest all female team time of the day was won by Project Fit Mum and Co. with a time of 1.0168.

• Sylvia Flaxman Perpetual Dragon Spirit Award Team most in keeping with the ethos of Dragons Abreast Australia was presented to Phantoms (Girl Guides) by Yvette Berry MLA.

• The Health Heroes/Anna Wellings-Booth perpetual memorial trophy for the Fastest Medical Team was won by The Canberra Hospital Oncology and presented by Sandra Turner.

• Pink Lady Shield & Gold Cup Winner of the Grand Final — Perpetual Shield donated by Brendan Smythe won by Finance and presented by Yvette Berry MLA.

Highest Fundraiser Shield The team that raises the highest amount over and above the $900 registration fee — presented to Finance for hosting a fundraising morning tea.

A FINAL (Mixed Teams) 200 m racing:


1st Finance 52.832 A FINAL (Mixed Teams) 200 m racing


2nd KPMG (Romeo) 52.896 A FINAL (Mixed Teams) 200 m racing


3rd Grammar Gremlins 53.389 A FINAL (Mixed Teams) 200 m racing

1st Project Fit Mum and Co. B FINAL (Women’s Teams) 200 m racing

2nd KPMG (Juliet) B FINAL (Women’s Teams) 200 m racing

3rd MasquerAGE (Third Age Matters) B FINAL (Women’s Teams) 200 m racing

D FINAL (Mad Mask 100 m Relay):

1st Finance D FINAL (Mad Mask 100 m Relay)

2nd Grammar Gremlins D FINAL (Mad Mask 100 m Relay)


3rd Breast Friendz  D FINAL (Mad Mask 100 m Relay)

A regatta event relies on a team of volunteers, officials and supporters. I thank all who contributed prior to the event, or at the event.

Thanks to our official guests Yvette Berry MLA, Sandra Turner and Mabel Sansom for support of our event and presenting our trophies. 

Special thanks to Chris Gracik, Director Fortitude HP Gym in Queanbeyan for a generous donation to support the regatta, and Cancer Council ACT, Knitted Knockers, and Casting for Recovery for providing volunteers and information stalls.

Special thanks to the support from DBACT including: Vice-President Kirsty Sheppard, recently appointed Events Officer, Michael Jones, Treasurer Nick Sifniotis and Equipment Jacki Luby.

Great work by all our Regatta Officials including: Gillian Styles, as Chief Official, ably assisted by Betsy Dixon, our Ground Announcer; Bea Brickhill, our Chief Timekeeper; Louise McMullen, our Chief Marshall; Deb Whitfield, our Chief Starter and Water Umpire; John Corcoran our Safety Officer; Heather Walsh Race Secretariat and Jacki Luby, our Chief Wrangler. Thanks to all DBACT volunteers across the venue.

To the staff and students from both Grammar Schools – to Harry Lai and the students from Canberra Grammar School, and to Jennie Hunter and students from Canberra Girls Grammar School, we thank you for supporting our regatta as sweeps, drummers and wranglers. We really value your contributions to this regatta and hope you enjoyed your day.

Thanks to all the DBACT coaches, sweeps and drummers from the various clubs who worked with teams prior to the regatta and took the teams safely down the course today. I would like to give special thanks to Deb Whitfield who organised our training sessions for teams, swept and coached teams during the training sessions, liaised with sweeps and drummers, and worked on the regatta draw.

From Dragons Abreast Canberra — I thank all the Dragons Abreast Canberra Regatta Committee including Deb Whitfield, Jeannie Cotterell, Di Bradshaw and Coordinator Susan Pitt. You have all supported me in the planning and organisation of the regatta in your various roles. I would also like to thank the 2018-19 Dragons Abreast Canberra Committee - Susan Pitt, Deb Whitfield, Julie Chynoweth, Jenny Milward-Bason, Jenny Green, Jeannie Cotterell, Janet Olsen, Joan White and Lyndall Milward-Bason for your support of the event.

Thanks to all the Dragons Abreast Canberra members who have embraced the Masquerade theme and volunteered in the various roles across the venue whether it be in administration, marshalling, parking, lavender and toilet supply, fruit distribution, baking for the cake stall, cake stall and merchandise sales, organising catering for volunteers, in the pink central information booth. You all contributed to our day.

Thanks also to paddlers from various clubs including DA Canberra who agreed to join and paddle with teams.

I have enjoyed being part of the DA Canberra Regatta Organising Committee for the past five years, and the Regatta Coordinator for the past two regattas but I will be passing on the baton to a new team for our 19th regatta in our 20th year of Dragons Abreast Canberra. We have many teams who have already indicated they wish to come back to paddle for this big year of celebrations. Dragons Abreast Canberra looks forward to hosting teams for our 2019 Dragons Abreast Social and Corporate Regatta.

Julie Kesby, Regatta Coordinator (with Anita, Natalie and Alison).