Dragon Boat West

The last day of the Olympic Torch Relay Feb 12th will feature Dragon Boats and Canoes as Kamini Jain will hand off the torch to Hue Fisher in the middle of False Creek:

http://www.canadianoutrigger.com/messsubj.cfm?pid=2721

http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/olympic-torch-relay/olympic-torch-relay-interactive-map/

Here's the link (http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/olympic-torch-relay/stories-from-the-road/day-106---alternative-modes-of-transportation-in-vancouver_236610kB.html) to the direct page about the section of the Olympic Torch relay. I'm assuming that VANOC misspelled Hugh Fisher to Hugh Fraser on their site. :?

This is very cool.  Hugh Fisher won Gold and Bronze Medals in K-2 events with partner Alwyn Morris at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games.  Kamini has competed at the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Games.

Hugh is one of the founders of the False Creek Racing Canoe Club, and Kamini is current coach of the FCRCC Open team.

Here's the link to the best description of the event:
http://www.fcrcc.com/events/olympic-torch-relay (http://www.fcrcc.com/events/olympic-torch-relay)

You'll see many other familar faces as there is a flotilla of dragon boats and OC6's supporting the dragon boat and voyageur canoe. What a great way to end the relay!

See you on the water!

Cheers,

Kelli

Are there different DB Teams going out on the water at this time?  If so, which teams?

As far as I know there will be a breast cancer team, O2P (transplant recipients/donors), mixed team and the torch carrying boat with many high profile paddlers on board. There will also be a handful of OC6's, one from each lower mainland club.

    * At 12:59 PM on February 12th, departing from the FC Ferry dock at the West end of Granville Island, the Torch will be carried in a Dragon Boat and a Voyageur Canoe to the Yaletown dock at the Quayside Marina, arriving at 1:37 PM.  Full details & map here, and in the Vancouver2010 Interactive map (go to Day 106 & select Vancouver)

    * Hugh Fisher, one of FCRCC's founders, and Kamini Jain, Head Coach of FCRCC's High Performance Dragon Boat Team, both former Olympians representing Canada, have been honoured by being chosen as Torch Bearers for the False Creek leg

I have heard that for the 6 Dragon Boats
1 is O2P/Gift of Life
1 is Abreast in a Boat
1 is FCRCC
1 is Dragon Zone
1 is Mixed paddlers, from different teams

6 paddler outrigger canoes will be represented by the different outrigger clubs: Lotus, FCRCC, POS, Jericho...

Any ideas where exactly the flame exchange will occur within False Creek?

Oh watch out... Synergy could be out there to do a little splash action on the flame :)

Fred

I believe the transfer between the Dragonboat (Hugh Fisher) and the Voyageur canoe (Kamini Jain) will take place just east of the entrance to Alder Bay.

I heard they had to go pretty slow, but 38 mins from west Granville Island to the Yaletown dock is going to be very slow

Here is the link to the live coverage of the Relay:
http://www.ctvolympics.ca/torch/follow-torch/index.html

Thanks...

Does anyone know if there will be a media boat out there? and if so, how do you get on it?  I'd like to hop on to take a few photographs.

If they went at their normal speed, they'd be there in 3 minutes, and people would just be like "what just happened?"

There is a media boat, but there is no more room for extra passengers.  There are lots of good viewing locations throughout the area.

This is very cool.  It says the camera is mounted to the truck so I assume the truck is not going on the water.  Maybe it's removable though.

Would have been nice if Eye of the Dragon was one of the teams. I don't suppose they're doing something similar for the Paralympics? That would seem appropriate. EOTD is probably one of the best known "paralympic" team that Vancouver has.

This is so F'ing cool.  I'm so happy for Canada! 

I was hoping that maybe the escort boats would have been all of the finalists in last year's Alcan Comp A final?  I know, I know, dream on you stinkin' American!

;)

If we were American we'd probably celebrate who's the best, but up here we celebrate the community ;)  Just kidding of course

This whole thing has been organized in haste and under the curtain of secrecy imposed by VANOC. Given those conditions, it's inevitable some people or groups will be missed. I can say that an honest effort was made to be as inclusive as possible. I don't know who all the people are in the various boats but I hope that Eye of the Dragon is represented in some way.

For LARDCore, we're letting Aaarnold carry the torch Friday morning so we Canadians feel we've met our quota for our southern neighbours.

Edit: Saw that Nash carried the torch this morning so forget about him. Gretzky is so obvious that it must be him?

I'm calling Wayne Gretzky as the final torch bearer, who's with me???

I'm going to guess that too.  How could W Gretzky NOT be a part of the relay but his father is? :)

I'll have to agree, Wayne Gretzky will most likely be the last person to carry the torch before the cauldron is lit.

Apparently its not Wayne

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/2010wintergames/Final+torchbearer+Gretzky+organizers+confirm/2552096/story.html

Hugh, Kamini & all the paddlers looked great!!!!! A few screen captures.

(http://i49.tinypic.com/2hoeafl.jpg)

(http://i49.tinypic.com/qqy9hu.jpg)

(http://i49.tinypic.com/2i9jb7l.jpg)

(http://i46.tinypic.com/augy95.jpg)

(http://i48.tinypic.com/1zmcb6e.jpg)

(http://i47.tinypic.com/11al7pi.jpg)

Fabulous!

I was in the media boat that was following the Torch boats and supplying the live feed (apparantly I was visible for a few seconds here and there when my petite little head was in the way.... :lol:
Check out my site for more pics of Kamini and Hugh's big adventure!

www.lethalweaponphoto.com

cheers

Ben

I've typed up and deleted numerous comments right now, simply because I don't know what to say but I want to say something.





Well done.

I was very disappointed with CTVs coverage of the dragonboats
I didn't see any of the other boats on the water
thanks for these pics and for the pics on facebook
I had no idea just how good you all looked together
Awesome job folks

I would just like to thank the organizers for doing such a wonderful job!

With the short time, everyone did great in making this event special to all who participated and watched.  I would also extend my personal thanks for including me in this wonderful event.  It was a thrill of a lifetime and something I will always cherish. 

I am so happy our paddling community was represented and even if people weren't selected to be in the boats, your spirit was with us.

Cheers,
Rob

I was lucky to get on the Media boat.
I was hoping to get more shots of the floatilla but the boat I was on was following the Torch (it was the boat with the live feed....).
I could only shoot the lead floatilla boats and wished I could have gotten more....)-:
Overall though it was a great idea and gesture and the people on the shore were cheering for all boats!

I think CTV did a pretty decent job covering the flame crossing the creek.

I watched the coverage off and on all day and I think that Hugh Fisher & Kamini Jain had more screen time with the torch than any others involved in the relay on the day.

Their was little to no coverage of the flotilla but that apparently had more to do with an overzealous relay official who kept them all 500 m back from the flame, rather than the 2-3 boat lengths they had all expetected.

Yes, they definitely covered the flame on the water very well.  I should have clarified that. 

But they did not cover the other boats. 
It would have been really nice to see all the other teams/boats out there in support as well.  I was looking for them.

Someone just posted on Facebook a video where all the other DB's and OC's were visible.  It looked awesome!  CTV missed the boat on that (pardon the punn)  It would have looked really great on TV.

In any case, it was so great to see DB's included in the torch run.  Very exciting especially for those of us involved int he sport!

Here's a good clip from youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKrwdXQGgyE

I heard the same reports. Why not let the people share the joy of such an event...

Another youtube clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ3rQL0bVcc