RACING EVENTS 2004
RACING EVENTS 2003
RACING EVENTS 2002
Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival 2002 on June 15 at Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough. Survivors Abreast raced in the Women's Division and again in a special survivor race with Team Transplant and Dragons Abreast, both from Toronto.
- Ottawa Capital Dragon Boat Race Festival on June 22.
- North Bay Warriers of Hope and the North Bay Canoe Club 3rd Annual Festival on July 20, 2002.
- Liberty State International Dragon Boat Festival August 24/25.
- Kingston Dragon Boat Festival 2002, September 2002.
- Stratford Rotary Dragon Boat Festival on September 14, 2002
New - Liberty International Dragon Boat Race Festival
Four paddlers from Survivors Abreast race at the first festival in New York Harbour on August 24/25 2002. To find out more, check out the links below.
Survivors Abreast hits the big apple! Peterborough paddlers race from Ellis Island to the Statue of Liberty on August 24 and 25th.
Survivors Abreast has put together a dragon boat of mostly Ontario breast cancer survivors drawn from six dragon boat teams to race in the Liberty International Dragon Boat Festival in New York City.
"I found out about the festival too late to get our whole team together so I looked for paddlers from other teams", said Carol Mutton, team captain. " I even have two paddlers from the Hope Afloat survivor team in Pennsylvania joining us. They said they'll wear our team t-shirts and hats-Canada maple leaf and all-and paddle like true Canadians".
Canadians Abreast has paddlers from Cobourg, Toronto, Guelph, Kingston, Peterborough and the U.S. "We could have an Ontario team name but I figured the 'Canadian' connection would get more recognition in New York City," said Carol.
The team, made up of twenty paddlers, a drummer and a steerperson, will be racing against other survivor teams from Canada and the U.S. to raise awareness of breast cancer.
"Meredith Cosburn, (president and founder of Survivors Abreast) and I decided one morning sipping coffee in Cultures that we just had to go! From that point on it's meant countless phone calls and e-mails to pull the team together, but we did it."
The Ontario contingent leaves on Friday, August 23 travelling in a convoy to a state park near the Statue of Liberty for the races. "We plan to squeeze in some serious sight-seeing and shopping," said Carol.
The paddlers from the Peterborough area are Carol Mutton, Meredith Cosburn, Joan Bates, Darlene Prager, and Pat Stiver as drummer. Larry Bird from Cobourg has volunteered to be steerperson and coach.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RELEASE
Contact Carol Mutton at 292-0015 or 755-2019. E-mail: carol.mutton@mnr.gov.on.ca or wayne.mutton@sympatico.ca.
Local dragon boat team members paddle through two foot waves in New York Harbour at the first Liberty International Dragon Boat Festival.
"Paddling in open water with boat traffic and salt water waves splashing in our faces was certainly a different experience for us," said Joan Bates, a member of Canadians Abreast, a mixed Ontario team of breast cancer survivors.
Four local paddlers and a drummer from Canadians Abreast returned Monday night from their adventure in New York City. "We actually won a race in the women's division against Toronto Dragons Abreast and a team from the Citizenship Bank in Boston", said Carol Mutton, team captain and main organizer of the team. "We certainly couldn't have done it without the encouragement of our drummer, Pat Stiver, and coach Larry Bird from Cobourg".
A highlight of the festival turned out to be a special breast cancer challenge race and memorial ceremony. "Spectators and competitors were very moved. We had young kids watching who cheered us on and told of us their grandmothers' struggle with this disease", said Carol. "This is why we race-to raise awareness and inspire other women living with breast cancer".
The group managed to squeeze in a tour of "ground zero", a boat cruise, a limousine ride, and dining in Little Italy and Greenwich Village in between their seven races over the weekend.
"We came back exhausted but with some wonderful memories", said Meredith Cosburn, president of the local Survivors Abreast team.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS RELEASE
Contact Carol Mutton at 292-0015 or 755-2019.
U.S. HOPE AFLOAT PADDLERS JOIN CANADIANS ABREAST
Hi All,
Well, what an exciting two days Kathy Mitchell and I had at Liberty Race...as Canadians...but none the less exciting...aah First off, we did not know WE were racing on Sat. and Sun. I was told on Friday night that they needed me and expected me to race...Kathy was to arrive for a leisurely day on Sat...before "race day" on Sunday. Well, didn't we both get the surprise of our lives.. I raced 1 250 race, Kathy and husband Tom showed up when we were finishing lunch. Kathy got a wet shirt and hat given to her and told when the next race would be...after laughing about it, we popped off to bathroom.
When we came out team Canadians Abreast were walking on the dock to load the boat. Yikes Already!! Kathy threw on the shirt at our urging (God lover 'er) ,and off we went for another 250m...and came in first against Citizen-ship, from Boston, and Dragons Abreast. Later we had another race that was 500m, which almost killed us, I think we came in 3 out of 4, but I may have slipped into a coma by then.
On Sunday, we raced again with these killer Canadians....they will race anyone anywhere anytime! Off we go to the first race of the day a mild 250m and no rain...I think we came in second, but it's a blur. Then yet another 250m against ... whoever...and couldn't tell you where we were in that one. Finally, the Big one... BCS race. We had a strong lead, but Hope Afloat inched us out and won the gold...or First Place, and well deserved. In all honesty it was close and they had to look at the tape to be sure. It was great fun.
The best part of course was the award ceremony where Hope Afloat got a humungous trophy and medals, and I thought all our faces would explode if we got any happier. One of my Canadian teammates asked how I felt about this...I told her I couldn't be happier and was thrilled for them.
Shelly, you were right the excitement is incredible and just must be experienced. The camaraderie (sp) is incredible and no barriers everyone is cheering for everyone else...it's just great to be alive! Nancy, and what a wonderful surprise for you....I hope Francesca captured your absolutely beaming face on film.
You Did IT!!!!
Now, Francesa about almost taking the head off our dragon before the race started....hmmm I assured all the gals that "she is a top notch steerperson I'm sure it's these damn swells". Just so glad you did not fall off which was my fear. You were awesome.
A short note, while Kathy and I would have loved nothing more than to be with our gals on our team...it just didn't happen that way, but the Canadians were wonderful to us. They were thankful beyond necessity, and they bought us our shirts and hats out of thanks. They are all very nice women and look forward to seeing them again at a race...wearing a Hope Afloat shirt, of course.
We went for one race and ended up racing 5 & 6 times, not a bad start for our first race. I will be on vacation all next week. I do have all the pictures from last Wednesday. I will be glad to share them with all of you as soon as I return after Labor Day. If I don't get to see you all before you jet off to Rome I want to wish you the best, we will all be cheering for you 100%. I will also be praying for you all, the race, the side trips and a safe trip home. Have a wonderful time and bring home the gold!!! Sorry if I babbled I can't help myself, I don't ever remember being this tired and happy.
lots of love to all
Ellen M. Brady (formerly of Canadians Abreast)
Congratulations to Survivors Abreast for racing at 4 events in 2001.
- Liberty Mutual Day on the Water, Peterborough, June 16, 2001
- 13th Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival, Centre Island, Toronto, June 23/24, 2001.
- Campbellford, 6th Annual Waterfront Festival, August 5, 2001.
- Stratford Rotary Dragon Boat Festival, September 8, 2001.
Congratulations to Survivors Abreast for their participation in three exciting racing events during the summer and fall of 2000:
