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Aoraki Dragon Boat |
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Locals are hitting the big time again...TV3 news recently ran a story on our Christchurch-based Shirley Boys team who are heading to the World Champs. As it says the boys "trying to raise around $175,000 to get to Europe for a dragon boating regatta have been training in the dark and in sub-zero conditions".
Each session the students are paddling up to 12 kms as they prepare for the World Dragon Boat Championships in the Prague and Racice (in the Czech Republic) in August.
Shirley Boys qualified for Prague after winning the Nationals at the end of March, and have now qualified six of the last seven years. But making it happen on the water is only part of the struggle. "At times I think we’re doing more fundraising than training," says Glenn. They have to find approximately $5,000 each – that is $175,000 in total. Some of the parents have to remortgage and the kids are selling their cars. Parents are not only involved in the fundraising, but also feed the group of 15 to 17-year-olds after each training.
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| home - contact us - faq | updated:
15-May-2011
(c) Noel Anderton |
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Four times a week the Shirley Boys High School students have been training, sometimes before dawn. "We’ve had minus four," says Shirley Coach Russell Stocks, "and the water lapping over was freezing on top of the boat. Really, really cold."
"Just the fact that 20 people turn up at 6.30 in the morning shows we are serious about what we do" says Glenn Dickie.
Aoraki would love to be able to sponsor these promising lads but our funds don't run to that at the moment. But if anyone can suggest a sponsor of fundraising idea, we'll do what we can to help these athlete make it to the top. They deserve your support!