After a year of rebuilding, the Laoyam Eagles proved again that dragon boating is a Pemberton specialty.
The Eagles, along with three other Pemberton teams, competed in the 2004 Alcan Dragon Boat Festival on False Creek in Vancouver on the weekend, which drew a record-breaking two-day total of more than 100,000 spectators. The Eagles defended their title in the Junior A division while the Laoyam Falcons placed fourth in the Junior B final.
“We had a lot of new kids on the team this year and we were worried, but they pulled it together in the end,” said Dr. Hugh Fisher, the teams’ coach.
“ The average age on our team is Grade 9, so it looked funny seeing our kids on the shore lined up behind huge Grade 12 students.”
Despite tough competition from the Eric Humber Eternal Dragons, the Laoyam Eagles paddled hard in the final to win by less than a second. Fisher said the Humber team was gunning for top spot this year after six months of intense training. The Eagles also competed in the adult competitive B championships and placed fourth.
“Our kids paddled amazingly well and I think it looks really good for the next couple of years if they stick with it,” Fisher said.
“I think quite a few other teams have no idea where Pemberton is and don’t realize how small we are. In their eyes we are the big competition.”
Cont'd in article
