West Island Dragons

🌟ROAD TO FRANCE 🇫🇷 WRAP UP 🇨🇦🐉

What a journey. What an experience. What a team.

For most of us, this was our first time attending an IBCPC festival. A leap into something big, beautiful, and completely unforgettable. It taught us more than we expected and has already better prepared us for what comes next on our road to Singapore 🇸🇬

Staying together in a hotel was the best decision we made. Those shared breakfasts, late‑night laughs, picnic‑table drinks, and quiet moments of support brought us closer than ever. We bonded not just as paddlers, but as a team. Bonus, we got to know our supporters in a whole new way. It was pure joy.

The festival itself was incredible. Long days, yes, but filled with energy, excitement, and the spirit of thousands of women celebrating life. Things didn’t go exactly as planned, our expected six races turned into three, but that’s festival life. Sadly we can’t control the weather.

The IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival 2026 is participatory, not competitive, and safety always comes first. Out on the water, you see the heart of this movement, teams with seasoned paddlers whose experience steadies the boat, riders who bring balance and positivity, and members who take a little extra time getting in but carry immense strength. Every boat holds its own story, its own purpose, its own reason for being there. That’s the beauty of this community: everyone belongs, everyone is lifted up, and everyone is a winner in the ways that matter most.

Our steer entered her first major international festival with courage and heart. The waters were unfamiliar, the boat was new, and the 1000m turn came without warning or practice, but she faced it all with determination. The steering oar was anchored, something she wasn’t used to, and the boat responded differently than what she’s trained on. It wasn’t easy, and yes, there were moments where the adjustments didn’t land the way she hoped. But she adapted with calm determination, stayed focused, and kept us moving forward. It was a genuine show of growth, resilience, and steering strength, and we couldn’t be prouder of how she handled such an unpracticed setup.

At one point in a 200m race, we came very close to capsizing, yet no one panicked. We stayed calm, stayed connected, and somehow stayed upright. We still don’t fully understand how we didn’t end up swimming, we’re joking that we got “matrixed,” and honestly, it tracks.

The Flower Ceremony is a beautiful tradition that brings all the emotions.

This year, boats with metastatic paddlers joined the other festival boats on the water, including four members of our team. It was a powerful, emotional moment as everyone came together to honour those we’ve lost, celebrate those who have survived, and hold close those still in treatment. 🌺

There was also a Circle of Life, a powerful visual of survivorship. A circle where everyone belongs; the newly diagnosed at the heart, surrounded by survivors of every stage and metastatic thrivers whose ongoing strength completes the ring. A living, breathing reminder that survivorship isn’t linear; it’s a continuum held together by community, resilience, and hope.

We sweated (the heat was no joke), we paddled hard, and we laughed even harder. And yes we got up to a little mischief thanks to one teammate’s hilarious daily posts that everyone wanted to be featured in. Those moments will stay with us forever. 🫶

Most importantly, we felt the love.

This festival is a celebration of life, of the lives we’re living, the lives we’ve fought for, and the lives we honour every time we step into a boat. Every moment counted, and we carried that gratitude with us from start to finish.

So what’s next? Aside from our usual festivals to close out the season…

Singapore 2030. Australia 2034.

The excitement is already building. We’re confident we’ll be heading to Singapore, which means a new committee, new plans, and yes, lots of fundraising.

But first, we rest. Some of us are still overseas soaking it all in, others are home trying to settle back into routine.

Recovery matters. Rest matters. Recharging matters.

Even our mascot has gone back to their usual self and we will all take a little breather until we’re back on the water next week.

France changed us.
It strengthened us.
It reminded us why we paddle.

And now, we look forward.

Stronger Together. Always. 🇨🇦💗🐉

Paddlers Abreast Canada
Dragon Boat Canada

Oh no! Ted, the mascot has run off and need needs some help being found. If anyone has seen him out and about please help him find his way back home!

Does anyone have our Kiwi Pinks/Taranaki Dragons mascot?
Disappointedly Ted has disappeared from our tent.
Please contact Tere, Caroline, Sharon or Valda if you have rescued him. [email protected]

A postcard from Singapore - 2030!

A huge shout out to Motel 991 they were amazing! They welcome a rowdy group of Canadians and treated us with kindness and care. They feed us yummy breakfasts and told us we drink a lot of coffee 😂 allowed us to take over the main room during the rain day and on top of the kindness they showed us, the motel was clean, well maintained and had fully functioning air conditioning ❄️which we all appreciated after a long day in the heat.

A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five star review from all of us, and our supporters we highly recommend and would stay here again if the opportunity arose.

Un immense merci à Motel 991, ils ont été formidables ! Ils ont accueilli un groupe de Canadiens bruyants et nous ont traités avec gentillesse et attention. Ils nous ont servi de délicieux petits-déjeuners et nous ont fait remarquer qu’on buvait beaucoup de café 😂. Ils nous ont permis d’occuper la salle commune pendant la journée pluvieuse et, en plus de toute la gentillesse dont ils ont fait preuve, le motel était propre, bien entretenu et disposait d’une climatisation qui fonctionnait parfaitement ❄️, ce que nous avons tous apprécié après une longue journée sous la chaleur.

Une note de cinq étoiles ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ de notre part à tous, ainsi que de la part de nos supporters. Nous recommandons vivement cet établissement et y retournerions sans hésiter si l’occasion se présentait.

And we are off, some are going on more adventures and some are heading home. Crew of 21 on the bus to Lyon airport now.

Good bye France 🇫🇷 it was an amazing time, we look forward to planning for the next IBCPC event in Singapore 🇸🇬 in 2030 🫶

Taking in our last views along the way.

An incredible event and so much joy on the last day. It was just about taking it all in and enjoying ourselves today.

Last race of the festival, since we missed out on our 500m they decided to give us all 1000m races today.