Team Green takes the B Division Gold in Iowa

Our mixed team from our recreational crew and competitive crew went to the Badger Lake Dragon Boat Bash held on August 9 and 10, 2024 and paddled their way to a gold medal in the B Division finals over an approximately 320 meter course. This was our club’s first appearance at this event, but it won’t be our last.

While it was an overall small field of 13 teams, the competition was solid. In the mixed club teams, SLAP Dragons from Kansas City were there for a second appearance at this event, as were the local NEW Cooperative Dragon Masters and Cargill Corn Rowers, and from eastern Iowa, Cedar River Gang. Other community teams were in the mix, along with youth teams and a strong cancer survivor division including teams from the Twin Cities, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Kansas.

This event also hosts a silent auction to benefit the Trinity Regional Medical Center’s Cancer Center. Your Minnesota Dragon Boat Club was happy to provide a dragon boating-themed basket for the silent auction, with some of our fun practice shirts, a seat pad, paddle blade protector, paddle wax, and all-important muscle relief rubs among other items contributed by team members. This silent auction regularly raises about $5000 to benefit the Cancer Center, and we’re glad to give back in the communities in which we race.

Blending our athletes into a single team for Saturday’s racing was one of the things we were most proud of. Six of our team members at this festival weekend were completely new to dragon boat racing this season, and keep impressing us with their progress this year. One of the great things about bringing a team with a variety of experiences and racing intensities to a festival like this is that we can learn and grow from each other.

Team Green Results: