North Coast scores a win at Dragon Boat Festival in Olympia, Washington
· Yahoo Sports
It was North Coast Paddling Club vs North Coast Paddling Club at the 3rd Annual Dragon Boat Festival in Budd Inlet in Olympia, Washington Saturday, July 11. And not surprisingly, North Coast Paddling Club came out the winner.
Forty-four members of Clatsop County’s North Coast Paddling Club dragon boat team competed on two different teams, one named Coastal Reign and the other, Coastal Lightning. After three qualifying heats for each boat team, the Reign and Lightning teams found themselves racing side by side in the finals heat for Division E, along with teams from Portland and Seattle. When the storm cleared, Coastal Reign took first and Coastal Lightning took second, with a time difference of .04 seconds.
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Maria Fasching, paddling in the lead stroke position for Lightning, said that racing next to Reign was the highlight of her day. “Feeling our crews push each other stroke for stroke was incredibly motivating and showed me I could compete with some of the most experienced paddlers on my team,” said Fasching.
The weather was perfect for the race and the water conditions on the racecourse at Puget Sound’s Budd Inlet were much better than the team experienced in Seattle in June. Colleen Holdar, tiller for Lightning, said that it was the first time she had steered in full saltwater so she had to adjust for the difference in buoyancy. Added Holdar: “And, I was surprised to see a harbor seal at the finish line!”
Coach Amy Spunaugle described the team’s performance as amazing and said it was great to have both teams finish so well. She added her team’s second race was when it all came together. “It reminded me why I love the sport of dragon boating.”
The team competes next at the Paddle for Life race in Ridgefield, Wash. on August 1, when three boat teams representing the club will be racing.