Dragon Boat West

Hi. Does anyone have the list of teams going to Kelowna this year?  :shock:

Mixed Division
Absolute Dragons
Acme Canoe Club
Alberni Wave Riders
Alpha Dragons
BC BLT
Bear Paws
Blu By U
Canucks Crew
CBC Wave Runners
Chilliwack Thunderstrokers
City of Kelowna Blazing Paddles
CNS Insurance RRRamming Speed
Crews Control Reunited
Delta Flying Dragons
Dragnum
Dragon Hearts Team Ultimate
Dragon Hearts/Flying Dragons
Drunk'n Dragons - Fully Loaded
Extreme Curents
Eye of the Dragon
False Creek Granddragons
False Creek Granddragons Too
Finding BMO
Fluid Motion
Fresh Off The Dragon Boat
Gift of Life
Guardian Dragons
Hot Knots
Hot Sake
Just Dragon Along
Lift What's Draggin'
Lotus Mixed
NAVY Dragon Anchors
Nothin Dragon Seniors
Pacific Reach 1
Pacific Reach 2
Phat Phish Racing
Pirates
Portland Fire Dragons
PowerBar Dragons
Raging Dragons
Raunchy Rodents
Ready Jet Go!
Red Devils
Red Hot Chili Paddlers
Reg Eyes Paddling Club
Reg Fusion
RGL United
Richmond Centre Dragoneers
Riff Raft
Ritchie Bros. Auctionauts
River City Dragons
Scaly Justice
Scotia Scorchers
Scotiabank Dragons
Scotiabank Dragons II
Scotiabank Spitfires
SFU Dragon Bytes
Shaggin Dragons
Sonar Dragons
Spirit of a Renegade
Splash Test Dragons
Sssteam Heat
Starbucks Wave Runners
Strathcona's Dangerous When Wet (SDWW)
Sudden Impact
Sun Strokes
Swordfish
Synergy Team 1
Synergy Team 2
TBD (To Be Determined)
TCC Epson Dragoneers
TD Lightning
Team CT Calgary Transit
Team Lifescan
Team Pheonix
Team Ruckus
Team Sun-Rype-100% Juiced
Team Uproar
Team X-Calibre
The Eh Team
The Grand Poobahs
The Strength Within
Topmade Fusion
Topmade Fusion B
Uhuru
Uncivil Serpents
Vancity Thunder
Water Whisperers
Wave Runners
Weekend Warriors


Women's Division
22 In Sync
Abreast of Life-Nanaimo
Breast Friends-Edmonton
Buoyant Buddies
Bust' N Loose
Canadian Contruction Women
Chilliwack Water Warriors
Deep Cove Catch 22
Dockside Dragonfire
Dragon Bottoms
Dragon Flyers
Dragon In the Drink
Dragon Ladies
Dragon Runners
Dragon Storm
Extreme Curves
Fire & Isis
FortisBC Power Currents
Insink
Just Add Water
Kelowna Pacemakers
Kindred Spirit
Knotty Ladies
Kootenay Rhythm Dragons
Kootenay Robusters
Mission Park Travel
North Breast Passage
Paddle Your Assets
Peach City Dragon Ladies
Saggin Dragons
Soul Sisters
Spirit Abreast
Stroke of Luck
Sunshine Dragons Hypnautix
Survivorship
Team Extreme
Team Momentum
Twist & Shout
Valley Vixens
Vernon Dragon Riders
Wahine Kei Waka
Women on Water (WOW)
Deep Cove Perfect Catch
Drunk'n Dragons - Half Cut
North Shore Sirens
Ya Ya Sisters

still no men's division  :roll:

From what I know, you probably will never see a men's division at Kelowna.  Not worth it.  At Alcan, the men's division (and women's) are only a fraction of the cost of the mixed division.  In Kelowna, the women pay the same as the mixed division.  If you wanted to join all three division just imagine the cost ($5K+ for the three divisions just in entrance fees). 

Realistically, who wants to pay that kind of fee to get your butt kicked by FCRCC men (or the likes).

The women's division defintely looks like it is successful so why change it but you will never get that many mens teams.  Maybe Kelowna should reduce the fees and have specialty races for men (ie. 1 race, first come first served). 

JMO.

Looks like a pretty good showing frothe last race of the year
Top 6 in platinum....hmmmm
I misjudged the final 6 in Vic (SOme teams had "extra" help..but not to take away from Kai's outstanding finish!)
If all goes as planned I think this will be the top 6

1. Pac Reach 1
2. Acme
3. Team ulitmate
4. Sudden Impact
5. RGL
6. Pac Reach 2.

Outsiders looking in are Eye (good year for them!),  Ruckus ,FODB (always a new line up! LOL) and Scotia though Navy make an unannounced landing!

I think Diamond will be a hotly contested final and I am pretty sure it wil be a dog fight! (6 teams coming across in the same second? JDA, Sowrdfish,Alpha,Portland,Ready Jet Go.....
I'll be snapping shots  around the site as well and flogging DVDs from Alcan and Victoria at the Swordfish tent.  :lol: gotta pay fo rthe new toy!


Thanks!

I'd put these in the top

Pacific Reach 1
Strathcona's Dangerous When Wet (SDWW)
Dragon Hearts Team Ultimate
Acme Canoe Club
Sssteam Heat
Fresh Off The Dragon Boat


These next teams will be fighting it out, it's always hard to call the order they're so close, so this is basically just a list. 

Pacific Reach 2
RGL United
Eye of the Dragon
Finding BMO
Just Dragon Along
NAVY Dragon Anchors
Sudden Impact
Swordfish
Synergy
Team Ruckus
Scotiabank Dragons
Portland Fire Dragons
Extreme Currents

It's always tought to say with Navy, apparently they have a large roster and it depends who's out to sea and who's not. Synergy combining is also tough to call.

rb

I would watch out for Guardian, they won Calgary and Acme and FODB were there.  Not sure they are bringing their A team or not.  Maybe someone from FODB or Acme can elaborate on Guardian.  I agree Navy is usually an unknown but Kelowna is usually good to them so I would put them into Platinum.

I hear DWW is a similar team to Harrison's DWW so I don't think they will be as big a factor, anyone from DWW care to reply to this rumour.

In the end Pacific Reach 1 should win it unless they have had turnovers. 

If Gaurdian is bringing their full crew, they are a strong bunch... and are used to the fresh water of calgary, so kelowna shouldn't be a whole lot different (other than the boats)  they earned that top placement at calgary and certainly both ourselves and acme gave them a heck of a fight. 
Topmade looks familiar, if i'm not too greatly mistaken they had a strong crew at calgary as well

I don't fully recall  the kelowna lineup last year but this year seems to have a fairly competitive field, that's awesome!

 The upper end teams are really more comp B level maybe A consol. at best .The only big player going  is Pac Reach and finally they will get a Comp A gold in Kelowna .Its not really the same when you win gold and you really don't have to work to hard at it but then they/we don't have control over who enters .I would always rather have a very tough field and fight my way through it and take the gold...much better feeling

  The big A teams have taken some much needed time away from the scene after the worlds & NTT's  but quite a few of the paddlers are spread out amongst other teams and alot of us are just going for the fun of this festival .As mentioned Gorging will be back east racing in the Quebec cup....now that would be a great race to be in  ...lots of strong upper level A teams heading there

 I think its great now that the lower comp teams have a shot of making the A final and battling it out .....have fun everyone ...see you in da clubs on sat nite !!

  Remember..the River City dragons from manitoba will be there.Claim to be the fastest comp team in manitoba ...... Funny ....all that water yet not alot of teams that we hear about .


this is what it says when you google the team - RIVER CITY DRAGONS ~ Fastest Dragon Boat Team in Manitoba .........

 heres the link .........    http://www.wilds.mb.ca/dragons/

Platinum Final A
1. Pacific Reach 1
2. Team Acme
3. Guardian Dragons
4. Navy Dragon Anchors
5. FODB
6. Dragon Hearts

Other teams to keep an eye on (no particular order): Swordfish, Sudden Impact, RGL, BMO, Phat Phish, Eye of the Dragon, Scotiabank dragons

Ummm, is it just me or once the very few encouraging words are weeded out; the teams going are "at BEST consolation A" and it will be empty victories for everyone?? Hope we just misinterpreted, otherwise a few people kinda wish you were going to Quebec. :?

So Paddleboy, are you going to be part of those that go "just for the fun of this festival" OR stay at home as "I would rather have a very tough field and fight my way through it and take the gold..."?

Oops you have some cake smootz on your face, careful how you eat it too...  :P

P.S. nice disclaimer, now I understand why you have it.

 LoL...I do wish I was going to quebec !! Tell you what ....get a pool going and send me and I'll help Gorging out  :mrgreen:

 What I am saying is that there is 1 team that is going to dominate and with open water more than likely .... thats no fun for PR .I did not say it was an empty victory but I'm sure they/you would prefer to have some competiton but like I said "we as paddlers/teams have no control over who enters and who doesn't" .The battle will be behind PR and it will be a good one I'm sure of that .I think alot of those going are happy they finally have a chance to battle it out for 2cd & 3rd in Comp A whereas if all the big teams showed they would not have made it .Its exciting for them as they see a chance to place in the top

 As for me you never know where I will show up but I will be there ..............helpin out like a good paddler should  and I would never miss a chance to race .

 Cake ? I luv cake and its my birthday in Kelowna ....gawd., I can't believe you remembered  !!  msn(^).......make it low fat please !!  Yum!

ok I feel bad  msn(:'()   seems I may of upset some PR paddlers .Sorry guys ...no harm meant by the comment(group hug)  msn({)..............I gave myself a Boo  paddling ability ...lol

The Manitoba team is good, but will not make the top division I don't think.  I saw them paddle in Edmonton.  It is true they are the fastest team in Manitoba, but they have no competition.   

Sistership from Calgary a Breast Cancer team won overall championship for the ladies division in Winnipeg this past weekend.  They were beating many of the mixed boats and were only 20 ish seconds behind River City Dragons.

Good luck to everybody going to Kelowna.  I won't be there for the 1st time ever, gotta get ready for San Fran the week after.

I predict that PR will take it in Lane 1 with Barney and 2 broken paddles.   :shock:

1. PR
2. Acme
3. Sudden Impact
4. Ultimate
5. Guardian
6. Navy

Other high placements:
RGL
JDA
PR2
FODB
ssSteam Heat
Topmade
Scotia
Eye of the Dragon
Portland Fire Dragons
DWW
Swordfish

I just noticed Crews Control Reunited ... are they the reincarnation of the competitive Vancouver crew from a few years back?  Probably not?

Yup, Crews Control Reunited is a lot of the paddlers from previous. I'd add them into the predictions for Platinum or Diamond for sure.

Guardian should be strong in Kelowna.  They really only have the one team to draw from and I believe they are all heading out.  Topmade should be competitive but this isn't the full Topmade Dragoneers team coming out.  They are assembling 2 teams for Kelowna.  Another team to keep an eye on from Calgary would be HSBC Pure Energy.

First, I heard that Barney will not be joining us this year....might just be word of mouth, but came from a good source! 

and Fluid Motion would like to see ssSteamHeat in their final again - flashback from Nanaimo!


go Crews Control Reunited!!!!!!!!!!  something to watch out for - might be upsetting a few races.

1.  Pacific Reach

2.  Crews Control

3.  DWW

4.  Acme

5.  Swordfish

This could all be upset by the team that scores lane 7!

Topmade's premier team placed third in Calgary.  And you know who placed fourth.   :D   Topmade also beat Guardian at the Lethbridge festival this year, but I don't know them all well enough to tell you if any key paddlers were missing from either team at either event.  If they place their top paddlers on a single team, they could do well.  Good luck to you!

lets hope so, for all the teams paddling.  however, we must remember that barney is no longer purple and may be going up under a different disguise.  :lol:

Looking at the race grid I think there may be some interesting people in some interesting positions come sunday morning, and I'm not talking about the one from one too many drinks a the paddlers' party.

The way the race grid is laid out the we may see some advancements based on points, I don't know that it will necessarily affect the Platinum Final but it should make for some unbalanced races come Sunday afternoon for example (and no slight to the team involved but just to compare) JDA should have a relatively easy pass to top points but Swordfish for example could end up with a couple of seconds fairly easily.  

Though I am sure that the top teams will once again work their way through the grid and will end up in the last race on Sunday I think there may be some suprises when it comes to the non-platinum finals.  

And I don't know that I will depart too from the concensus so...

 Â    PR1 turn to finally take it all

After that:

 Â    Crews Control Reunited
 Â    ACME
 Â    Sudden Impact
 Â    Guardian

to round out the top 5 but placements are up for grabs.

Is the race grid up? I checked the site but didn't see it.

Can someone post it?

While Guardian won Calgary they did not do well in Edmonton the following week.  I belieive that the River City Dragons from Manitoba beat them in Edmonton.  However Edmonton is not a real indicator as lanes were a huge issue this year.  As mentioned before I would watch out for HSBC Pure Energy  they came in 2nd in Calgary.

Yeah I didn't notice HSBC in the listing before, they are definitely a strong crew

Who is Crews Control Reunited?  I saw them a few times on the pond and they looked pretty powerful. Stacked with some pretty familar faces and ferocious paddles.

Better watch out those who think they are top dogs!!

Sorry Blade but you must have been watching a different crew as Crews Control does not paddle in a pond and I think they've only had 1 maybe 2 practices.  They will be the talk of Kelowna because back in the day they were good.  Not sure who is on the crew this time around but I'm sure we'll see some familar faces.

barney is not going, barney is staying at DZ for you guys to do resistence training

Hmmm
after looking at the race grid I Will re visit my predictions and make some changes.

Of Course PR1 looks like the brides maid will finally come to the alltar.

Hearing different reports that most teams are not coming with their full rosters so I am not sure how to place DWW or ACME fro this one though I am sure they will be in the Platinum Finals. AS for the Calgary teams I saw them first hand in the Calgary festival and although they beat ACME and FODB, ACME nor FODB had their Al can teams there and were not as strong. Whether they will make Platinum final is another issue but it will be definitely nice to see some strong teams from the other side of the rockies. Advantage for them is paddling in freshwater but on the negative side I don't think they have paddled the heavier 6-16 boats before. Ok, predictions....

1. PR1
2. ACME
3. Sudden Impact
4.Team Ultimate
5. one of the Calgary teams

If Crews Control is who I think they are , practice and Race day are too different scenarios .so we'll just have to wait and see!
Looks like some awesome racing and I Think there will be a few upsets in the seedings.

AS I see it the only shoo ins for platinum semis are Team ultimate, PR1, ACME, Sudden impact

Sorry Paddle funk, Don't count the fish as out yet!
you may have the bucket but we only had 10 guys in the boat that night!
(And I was not paddling)  :lol:
See you all On the  water!

The rumours are true, Crews Control has reunited and ready for action!  We've had two practices and feel pretty good after being dormant for so long!  We'll see if our reputation holds true, if not on the water then in the Beer Gardens... the bum dart challenge has begun! :o

It's been rumored that Guardian Dragons is a brand new team this year made up of 70% brand new paddlers, head coached by some young punk of a guy. They did take it in Calgary but they were so rookie that they were penalized 5 seconds on there first heat due to a paddlers late paddles up when the marshal called it. So they went from a 2:06 time to a 2:11.  In the final grand champion heat in the conclusion of the heat they were rammed hard by the 3rd place team (Topmade) even tho they made contact and was forced over causing the boat to be filled with water; Guardians should of been able to re right and counter the force of being pushed and the fact that there boat was filling with water. It must of been sheer luck that they took grand champions especially if only 6 out of the 20 paddlers in the boat have had previous experience.

In Lethbridge Guardian were of 18 paddlers the whole weekend that means 0 subs and 2 less paddlers every race compared to other boats. Every race every paddler paddled they had no fresh bodies and were in a position of disadvantage for the medaling heat and need to mention they were 2 paddlers short. They were lucky to take 3rd after PHH was DQ out of the final heat.

Edmonton now that was a race festival for organizers to learn from! The race site was placed in a bend of the river where current was different for each lane. A team that would place a time of 1:58 would place a time of 2:20 in a different lane.  The race marshaller would ask for a boat to come up to the line and let another boat be taken away by the current and then call the GO. Could it be that a less experienced team gets a handicap and placed in a lane of less current or vice versa or a Dragon boat challenge to beat natural acts of the universe gravity as oppose to beating other boats? who knows.  All I know is that Edmonton needs to RE evaluated before the 2007 season. Not to fuel the fire but there water is so shallow that some boats bottomed out and Guardians destroyed 2 carbon fiber paddles due to hitting bottom that's a $600 loss. OUCH! (try explaining this one to warranty)

Predictions for Kelowna....... Guardians is a very rookie team that's gonna be paddling against teams that's been training 8 months out the the year and many years of experience as oppose to them 4 months out of the year and their 4 months of dragon boat experience. I wouldn't worry about them as any level of competition.

PS I should be charging Guardians for using a name similar to my user name as their team name and every time that team shouts the word "Guardian" boy would I cash in every time they cheer.

GOOD LUCK in Kelowna everyone!


(Don't forget** if Guardians Beat you Ram them with your boat!!)

PHH has only themselves to blame for the Lethbridge issue.  All team managers/steerspeople were told that they'd be DQ'd if they went around the island.  Dorks!

As far as Edmonton goes, this is why my club does not go to that festival.  The course is complete crap!  I was told that they moved the course this year to avoid the curve, though.  Guess I heard wrong.

We now bring you back to the Kelowna discussion...   :whistle:

Am I missing something, I thought Sudden Impact was a good strong Rec team. They were Diamond B last year at Kelowna, they won Diamond A in Victoria this year with close times over Storm, Alpha, Swordfish, and Hampton, so I'd predict them again in Diamond here. Or perhaps they're a team that makes it into Platinum, but are they a shoo in for Platinum? Why the top 5 predictions?

I'd think any of the Diamond teams have equal shot at making it into Platinum - PR2, RGL, Eye, Scotia, Ruckus, Swordfish, Extreme, JDA, Synergy, etc etc.

rb

I'm going to guess that HSBC is now Dragum - that was their name last year in Calgary.

Oops, gotta learn to spell... Dragnum.

Interesting, not sure where you are getting your information from though.  Yes Guardian is a new team but are comprised mainly of a former team.  There are definitely more than 6 experienced paddlers on that team and out of those experienced ones, a few of them have 10-15 years of racing under their belts.

Sounds like someone is trying to downplay Guardian a bit.  I definitely think they will be ranking near the top.  Should be a great time out in Kelowna!

Guardian is mostly made up of last years Topmade Dragoneers,  some have bantied the name of Exmade around when refering to Guardian,  Kind of makes you chuckle when it was Topmade that hit Guardian at the end of the final race in Cgy and caused Guardian to go swimming. None of it was intentional, just ironic.

I believe guardian dragons should do well this weekend. Good lucks!

Guardian Dragons out of there active roster of 28, 10 have never paddled before, 8 have taken 1 - 2 years off, 10 are active from Topmade.

In Lethbridge only 5 of 18 have experience who went.

Yeah the "minor" bump was unintentional but funny that Topmade didn't call check boat as they were rolling towards Guardians........  :eh:

I think someone is trying to downplay Sudden Impact. Had it not been for a time penalty in Victoria during the heats, they would have been a solid Platinum team. They were also a strong second at the Tawainese festaval, ahead of RGL, FODB, JDA etc. They will do well in Kelowna. No use downplaying them.

I was curious as to why so many people on the forum were picking them for Platinum A and even medalling when they haven't placed that high before.

To be honest I never considered the Taiwanese results, and I didn't know about the time penalty in Victoria. Thanks for that info. When I looked at the Victoria results I saw the Diamond semi and final times and saw them win both, with teams like Storm, Alpha, and Swordfish 1 to 2 seconds behind which is why I would have predicted Diamond in Kelowna. Based on the latest information I'd predict them to to be in Platinum which is awesome.

Lots of us like to look at past results and predict, now let's see how it turns out.


rb

We'll let our actions on the water speak for themselves  :P

DiggerPig,

Will Sudden Impact be playing bumper boats this weekend?  The lanes will be close so will you be able to avoid other boats.  From what I hear you like to play bumper boats.  Maybe you and Guardian will end up in the same heat that would be good to watch, who ever loses the start takes the other one out, over and over and over and over again :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Seriously good luck to all teams

What is the weather supposed to be like this year??  It is supposed to be 3 degrees with some snow here in Calgary lol.....good luck to everyone and we hope to make it out there next year!!

 :lol: mmmm harrison flashback...

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/bchighwaycam/index.aspx?hideFramework=False&cam=41  :(

C'mon..that's just the road there! Check the weather network...http://www.theweathernetwork.ca/weather/cities/can/Pages/CABC0149.htm (http://www.theweathernetwork.ca/weather/cities/can/Pages/CABC0149.htm) it says it's going to be 18 on Sat. and 21 on Sun., SO THERE!!! :lol: :lol:

yeah, but it makes my planned 2.5hr drive into a more realistic 3-4hr drive.  :(

I am soooooo glad I am NOT going to Kelowna msn(h)

Okay..I just have to say..what a kick a** weekend so far! They've been running on time, no restarts, fast starts, calm water (for the most part) and best of all..it's warm out!!! YAY! :lol: :lol:

and boy did you miss out. :lol:

I concur with Colossus. This was by far one of the best festivals I've been to.  :D