Dragons kick off summer season with Super Sprints

A rather soggy spring training came to a close last Saturday as the Spirit Point Dragons kicked off their summer paddling season at the 7th Annual Victoria Gorge Super Sprints.

The Salt Spring team, sponsored by Country Grocer, Harbours End Marine and Moby’s, joined 31 teams from Vancouver Island at the one-day festival, competing in the Mixed Recreational Division.

Paddling for Spirit Point were Sabine Georgy, Marit McBride, Shari MacDonald, Scout Upex, Robyn Huntley, Janice Shields, Andrea Smith, Randy Bateman, Wendy Eggertson, Carmelle Labelle, Stephanie Maskell, Ann Marie Davidson, Donna Cochran, Barry Green, Tracey Cornwall, Dan Gellein, Nova Elson, Sam Parker and Lynda Brown.

Steersman Tom McKeachie provided a steady hand at the stern and coach Mary Rowles called the race from the drum-seat forward.

Illness, injury and the pending birth of a first grandchild kept many veteran paddlers from being in the boat, and Spirit Point sent special thanks to those who generously filled the empty benches: Judy Willet, who got off the boat from her Cowichan team and jumped into Spirit Point’s to paddle with them in the first race; the Island Breast Stroker who graciously joined in for the second; and Bob Howe, who gamely jumped in on the third.

In its first heat, Spirit Point finished second at 1:25:07, behind overall festival winner Gorging Dragons (1:07), and out in front of Team Phoenix (1:26:51). Spirit Point dominated the second race with a time of 1:19:88, squeezing out the Sunshine Dragons (1:21:12).

The third and final race saw Spirit Point post a time of 1:15:46, closing the gap on winners Paddlers of the Fifth Moon (1:14:05), a team that raced five to seven seconds ahead of them in their earlier heats and just behind second-place competitor VCKC United/Lightning (1:14:60).

Finishing out the day with third place in White Division A, at the top of the recreational category, Spirit Point put on such a strong showing that the team would have placed second in the Red Final B, the next class up — a great start to the season.

Spirit Point’s next competition is at the end of June in Nanaimo.

The club is always open to new paddlers: contact maryrowles19@hotmail.com.