WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Dragonboaters Descend On Burlington

Dragonboaters Descend On Burlington

Burlington, Vermont - July 31, 2009

One by one boats were hoisted off their trailers and lowered into the water at the Burlington waterfront, Friday night. Volunteers carefully navigated them into place, making sure everything will be ready to go when thousands of rowers descend on Lake Champlain, Sunday morning.

"These are people in our community, they're our co-workers, friends, family, that come down for fun for fitness and for charity," said Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival organizer, and cancer survivor, Linda Dyer.

The 4th annual Festival will feature 82 community teams and 12 teams of cancer survivors, racing each other in 42 foot boats. Each boat has 20 rowers and one drummer who set the pace.

Over the years the festival has raised tens of thousands of dollars for cancer research and support. This year the goal is to raise $150,000 to build an Activities Center at the new Camp TaKumTa site in South Hero.

"It's a huge goal and it'll only happen if everyone comes on down to the park on Sunday," said Dyer.

Before the Sunday races, breast cancer survivors from all across the U.S. and Canada will gather for a "Sisters at Heart" celebration. They will take part in paddling workshops, go on a lunch cruise, and participate in a stretching workshop.

"Dealing with issues that only a breast cancer survivor dragonboater might encounter," said Dyer. "It's just a fun day, a celebration of our sisterhood."

Debra McConnell will be celebrating with her sisters on Saturday. She learned about the festival five years ago while reading an article in her oncologist's office.

"And then I decided I knew I had to do this, I just had to be able to walk and paddle," she said while helping with festival set-up.

Five cancer-free years later, McConnell is looking forward to her fourth Dragon Boat Festival.

"It's something else to be in a boat with 20 people and I never even thought of myself as an athlete and suddenly we're winning," said McConnell.

Vermont's Dragonheart rowing team competed in a race in Montreal the weekend of July 25-26 and took home the gold medal. They are hoping for another successful day on the water when they host their own festival this weekend.

Bianca Slota - WCAX News