Rainbow Dragons, Lennox Head-Ballina, wrapped up 2024 with a remarkable three weeks of competition at the Currumbin Regatta and the Pan Pacific Masters Games (PanPacs) on the Gold Coast.
At Currumbin, 38 members raced, with nine making their regatta debut.
The team secured top placements: first in the Breast Cancer Survivors 200m, and third in both the Mixed and Men’s 20s 200m and Mixed 20s 1km turn races.
The next week, 11 Rainbow members joined five Port Macquarie ‘Maroro’ paddlers for their first-ever club outrigger competition, at PanPacs.
Choppy conditions
Amidst choppy conditions, the Rainbow Region team held their own, dodging outrigger canoes, and recreational watercraft, to achieve first in the Men’s OC2 9km relay, and second in the Women’s OC1 and OC2 relays.
The team also excelled in the OC6 category, posting competitive times.
Then Rainbow Dragons returned to PanPacs for the dragon boat events, with 44 paddlers competing against teams from Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Rainbows had fantastic results with first in the Men’s 55 plus 500m and 200m sprints, and third in the Women’s 40 plus 500m 10s boat.
The Mixed 55 plus crew also placed third in the 4.8km ‘Around the Island’ race, which presented a challenge to steerer’s as they navigated the course, collecting flags along the way.
Club President, Lu Cooney, said, ‘The club’s results are especially impressive, considering many of the other teams were combined clubs, while the Rainbows competed as a ‘stand alone club’.
Monica Wilcox is from the Rainbow Dragons.
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