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wmmmmmaom.mii,zow-to O O I O O I University dragon boat club hopes to grow local interest in ailment competitive sport MGM-mml’ml’smmi ' 500rn,beatingsomeallmaieteams Chronic-law The University of Waterloo club. which . lake coaches. is only three years old. ll he wants is water, a dock and a few But they've already made their mark in boats.But Stephen lake isn't dream- the university club world. coming close to about a cottage. l the competitive level of the top teams. all The 20-year-old University of Waterloo - from the University of'lbronto. student is hoping to establish a permanent “we've had some top-five finishes," lake home for the school's dragon boat club said. - lake estimates the cost for a dock. four . I The most competitive teams in the world boats. paddles and safety equipment would ‘. \ . . complete the 500m in just under two min- come in at about $80,000. ,m‘o‘ utes. The University of Toronto teams are A government grant or corporate spon- "“ ~ clocking'in at around 2:03. sorship would come in handy. . ' -. “But they’ve been together for a long But the club also needs still, deep water. ' _ ~ time. and they train almost every day,” lake “I'd like to see us set up a training facility 1 points out. UW is closing the gap fast, with somewhere in Waterloo. but we need a site," respectable finishes in the 2:08 range. he said. ‘4‘ ' Over the course of a year. about 150 peo- laurel Creek Conservation area has been W; _ . . pie participate in the club. They train by a supportive host of the annual Waterloo flies; ” doing pool paddling during the fall and win- Dragon Boat Festival, but is less sure about '" ter, honing their technique. lake also puts offering a permanent home. team members through gruelling hill sprints Columbia Lake is only about a foot deep J, . I and plyometric excercises at its centre â€" too shallow for dragon boats. ' .. i 1‘; " “It's like free personal training,” he Grand River is a possibility. but strong cur- .2: ll . ’ fl“' ' laughs. “A lot of people think dragon boat is rents don't make it the ideal location. 4 I? m g .4 a" i only upper body, but your connection to the These are the challenges facing the UW “ I 8 z 3_ ‘fif‘ , boat is through your legs. You get a lot of Dragon Boat Club. . 3 It It. " :. g 1 power that way.” Perhaps the greatest challenge facing the 1" ’ ‘ - 3:: ‘ Moving a 40-foot. 800 pound boat club is the perception ofdragon boatingas a ' ' A” . w ; 7 through the water at speeds of up to 16 great corporate team-building exercise â€" 3‘ . ; km/h is no easy feat. The sport combines but not reallyaspon. 9" ' fine technique with brute physicality and The aptly named Lake is out to change 9” ‘ exacting teamwork. that perception. LU? ,‘ Once spring arrives. club members hit The Scarborough native has been pad- I 2 .' the water in Stratford or Toronto, using rent- dling since his high school days, when his -" ~ ed boats. When the competive season team practiced several days a week through- I comes. they typically field four teams for out the entire year, getting out onto the ’ each regatta. waters of Frenchman's Bay in April to start Having a permanent training site in honing their skills for summer regattas. Waterloo would mean dragon boating could “A lot of high schools in Toronto have betaken more seriously in the region. teams. and it's very competitive.” lake said. j “if that happened, it would really help His coach was noted Canadian dragon g" - i grow the sport.” Lake said. boater Scott Madill. afi . And the UW club wouldn't want to keep Yes, there are noted Canadian dragon ,. _ ! their good fortune to themselves. There's boaters. . ' potential to build high school teams and “Canada is a definitely a dynasty in drag- . - V and other competitive clubs. on boating." lake said. v > _, ' - ' - "We would provide the boats at minimal He should know. last summer, he pad- 33; .5); -â€" . . ._.. .. h J“ ‘ s ‘ ‘ . _ ,_ ~ _ cost to other groups,” Lake said. died for Team Canada at the international .. “If we got corporate sponsorship. we'd championships in Prague. Canada came University of Waterloo Dragon Boat Club coach and enthusiast Stephen Lake is hoping to put their names on the boats. And they back with medals in all eight of their events. build local awareness of the sport. “we"! mum“ mm could use them whenever they want for including gold in the mixed 200 metre and team building.” 400 metre. “These are the flagship events." he said. Dragon Boat Club's U-23 team at the Club in three events. Mixed teams must have at Tbmntact Stephen may,” supporting lust last week lake returned from Macau. Crew World Championships. least 918’" women in a {0‘81 CW 0‘ 22- BU! the University of Waterloo Dragon boat club. China. where he paddled for the Pickering His mixed team PiCREd up silver medals the ”1in team also competed in the open e-mailstephenfi’uwdbccom V°"“w°9°" “’°'°"°° ‘ DR IVE FIR ST CLASS PAY FOR COACH 'W o o ' ’ - :2“?a " ,, » . , '. .r 1 ~ s 9 = a“; ' - Arriving in September ,. M f ’15:? fr L ‘ . , “- ‘ ‘ , . g ,. its“ . J A t All New 2011 Jetta - \- x: . . , _ I (A , .- ‘ It's big on everything but compromise. It got a little fay" ~: “ -' - ”- - ‘ bigger and a lot better. from the assertive front end ' ' , 55° Weber St N Waterloo ‘ to the impressive amount of trunk space and all at . if ‘ V, 3 519-884-7470 sales@vwwaterloo.com an amazingly low price. For all the details or to , . www.vwwaterloo.com pre~order your new Jetta. please contact us. _ _ '