Author: B1 Board Admin

This year was a historic one, as it marked B1’s first competition at an elite international caliber. 18 paddlers set out for the Club Crew World Championships in Hungary, just enough to fill two small-boat crews. After a weekend of sightseeing in Budapest, they headed to Szeged for six action-packed days of racing at the Olympic Basin. Pitted against top teams from 30+ countries, they had to draw upon every ounce of training, discipline, and mental fortitude that had been drilled into them for months. A highlight of the competition was the mixed crew making it into the minor final for the 200s and finishing 7th out of 13 teams overall.

We did not come home with any medals, but what we did come home with was inspiration to take our training to the next level for the rest of the season and into the off-season, so we can be ready to qualify again for CCWC 2020 in France. Having the opportunity to race at the world championships this year was just the beginning. The leadership’s vision is to continue to elevate this team’s performance, so B1 can continue to represent Boston at the elite level. Thanks to our paddlers past and present, and friends and family who helped us get to this point, which was above and beyond what many of us thought was possible!

With a boat made up of about 1/3 new paddlers, B1 walked away with 3rd place at the Springfield Dragon Boat Festival. Conditions were not always ideal, with the rain and the low water levels. But team members across all experience levels pulled it together and raced for victory. We are proud of all our newbies and hope to see them in our boat for races to come!

For the first time since its inception in 2013, Boston 1 placed first in the A major finals at the Boston Dragon Boat Festival and took home the gold cup! It was an intense weekend, starting with time trials on Saturday and going into all-day races on Sunday. B1 held its own against some incredibly strong teams and on Sunday was one of the only ones to consistently shave off seconds from heat to heat.

Heat 1 Quarter Final: 2:25.3

Heat 2 Semi Final: 2:21.9

Final: 2:18.9

The heart-pounding final race was won by the slimmest of margins, 0.1 seconds. We consider it an honor to have been matched against some of the strongest teams in Boston and are inspired to ride this trajectory into the rest of the season.

Thank you to friends and family who supported us on this 5-year quest for gold, especially those who spent the day under the tents with us. Thank you to our sponsor Cedar Chiropractic & Sports for keeping us hydrated and fed all day. Thank you to head coaches past and present Andy, Lily, and Vince, whose tireless efforts collectively got us to this point. And thank you to everyone who calls B1 their dragon boat home team, who came to practice despite wind, rain, heat, and sore muscles, and who took us all the way to the finish line.

Boston 1 Dragon Boat Team has finally achieved a goal we have pursued for 5 years: going to Hungary and participating in the World Championships. We are looking to fundraise enough money to provide substantial financial aid to our paddlers most in need (particularly students) so they can participate on a journey they have worked so hard for. Thank you!

Please find the GoFundMe to our fundraising efforts here.

If you would like to support us in a fun, creative way, please consider joining us at our July 5th PaintNite event.

Photo credit to our friends at Living Root Dragon Boat

On February 10th Boston 1 sent eight paddlers to the Boston Indoor Erg Regatta, hosted by the Living Root dragon boat team. They all competed in the 250-meter individual men’s and women’s heats against members from other Boston teams, and then in groups of four for the 1000-meter relay. For the second year in a row, B1 members took gold in all the major categories. So proud of those who represented our team for executing well and demonstrating good sportsmanship. It was a great event spent cheering each other on and bonding with the other members of the Boston dragon boat community!

Results:

Carly: Gold in Women’s A Division
Heather: Bronze in Women’s A Division
Maria: Gold in Women’s B Divison
Katherine: Silver in Women’s C Division
Hweedo: Gold in Men’s A Division
Andy: Silver in Men’s A Division
Mark: 4th in Men’s B Division
Varun: Gold in Men’s G Division
Relay Team 1 (Carly, Maria, Hweedo, Andy): Gold, sub 4 minute
Relay Team 2 (Heather, Katherine, Mark, Varun): 4th place

In September of this year, Boston 1 raced in the ERDBA qualifiers in Mercer County, New Jersey against teams from all over the country. They all had one goal: perform well enough to win a full-sized or small boat berth in the 2018 Club Crew Championships, held in July in Szeged, Hungary. Competition was stiff but B1 fought hard, held their own, and even though we did not win a berth outright, we decided to put in a bid in case one of the winning teams gave theirs up. We had done well enough that we were close to the top of the list and in the end were rewarded with some amazing news…

We won a small boat berth! This means that in July, we will be sending 14 of our strongest most dedicated paddlers to compete on the international stage against club teams from all over the world. Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to get us to this point! Our excitement is through the roof but we know that the hard work is just beginning. Best of luck to everyone vying for a spot on this small crew!