Our Kiwi Crew is READY!

The countdown is on, just 2 more sleeps before Haliburton Highlands Paddlers’ Kiwi Crew takes off on Tuesday April 18^th on a 3 hour flight to Houston followed by a 14.5 hour flight to Auckland, New Zealand.  Chris’ partner Leonora, Linda’s husband Joe, Pamela’s husband Ted and Lillian’s husband Larry are going as supporters.  Mac Ellis isn’t in the original picture but he is paddling with the ‘mixed’ crew.  In New Zealand, our Crew will compete – as part of the IB Dragonboating Club team out of Lindsay made up of male and female athletes from Kawartha Lakes, Durham and Haliburton – in the World Masters Games, the largest multi-sport event in the world with 25,000 athletes competing in 28 sports across 48 venues.

The Kiwi Crew is competing in the women’s 50+ age category (we can report only that the IB group age ranges from 52 – 76 yrs, … and Mac is competing in a separate event with IB’s ‘mixed’ crew!).  Make no mistake, these are very competitive and motivated athletes, as a review of their training program illustrates:

In addition to HHP practices twice per. week last summer in Head, Grass and Kashagawigamog lakes in Haliburton under the guidance of our own coaches, Scotty, Janine, Lois and Marg, most of our Kiwi group also made the trip to Lindsay twice weekly.  There they practiced on the Lindsay river with IB Dragonboating, under Games coach Carol Gonder (herself a competitive swimmer and former competitor in the first World Masters Games of 1986)….. and they continued doing so up until October 15^th, a few weeks after the end of the normal Dragon Boating season.  The cooler weather couldn’t curb their enthusiasm however, and off they went to “THE TANK”.

The TANK, for simulated dragon boat dryland (oh yeah?) training indoors at Trent University in Peterborough.  Two Tanks side-by-side, one for right handed (Chris, Carolyn, Pamela and Mac) and one for left handed paddlers (Lillian, Lois and Linda).

They continued with hour-long training sessions in the Tank each Wednesday & Saturday throughout the Fall and Winter focusing on both fitness and technique in addition to a program of differing home exercises.  Their LAST practice was Saturday April 15^th!  One paddler reckons she has spent 44 hrs in the Tank and 60 hrs exercising at home!  Not surprisingly, the Crew declare that they have better technique and a higher level of fitness than before, with stronger cores and well developed muscles.

Special narrow paddles with slits cut into them are used when training in the tank, in order to reduce resistance of the water.  However, each paddler will be taking his or her own carbon fibre favourite paddle to NZ for the races.

And of course, some striking new gear

Jacket                                                                                                                         T-Shirt

Cap

Upon arrival in Auckland and after settling in, the Canadians will have two practices in Auckland Harbour prior to their races on April 29^th  (500 metres) and 30^th (200 metres), in Lake Pupuke near Auckland.  We wish them the best in their endeavours and hope they have a fantastic trip.  In this electronic age, we hope to hear from them occasionally on their progress through New Zealand, via blog or FB.

We will, of course, be expecting them to do all the ‘hard paddling’ in the Suzanna Foo when they return!  Right coaches?

BTW. When and where is the next World Masters Opportunity?  Get ready, Haliburton Highlands Paddlers!!

Go Go …. ‘Kiwi Crew’! ….or (as heard recently), our ‘Girls with Guns’!

Paddlers from left to right: Pamela Boyce, Lillian Hall, Linda Shulist, Chris Whittemore, Lois Deacon, Carolyn Ellis

Kiwifruit are a commercial crop in New Zealand so it is quite fitting that the Kiwi Crew are going to New Zealand, not to pick fruit but to compete in the New Zealand World Masters Games. Incredible!

The six-paddler Kiwi Crew, all members of our ‘Haliburton Highlands Paddlers’, will be joined by 22 other paddlers from IB Dragonboating in Lindsay. The other paddlers are from the City of Kawartha Lakes and the Region of Durham.

The Kiwi Crew has been travelling to Peterborough regularly since October 2016 to train with the rest of the team at Trent University’s indoor paddling tank. Most of them paddle twice a week…Wed. and Sat. as well as some Sundays for individual instruction. In addition, they also have an exercise regimen that they work on at home. They will continue paddling in the tank right up until they leave (April 18th).

Their coach, Carol Gonder, has arranged for daily practices once they arrive in Auckland….working around sightseeing tours of course! Race days are April 28 & 29. There are two crews competing in the 50+ age category. A 10 person mixed crew and 20 person female crew. Both crews will be racing in the 200 M and 500 M events.

The team has been very successful with fundraising. Their first endeavor was “Project Turkey Pie”, where the team made and sold 2700 pies. A fashion show and silent auction was held at the Armory in Lindsay before Christmas. Last month, another fashion show, on a smaller scale, was held. Approximately $19,000 has been raised. The team would like to thank all who supported them!

On top of that, they received $4000 in donations from local (Lindsay) business owners. The support from the Lindsay area has been overwhelming. The money raised will go towards registration ($400 each) and training costs for the tank rental.

Carolyn says that “Being part of this team has been an awesome experience. Wish us Luck!”

Haliburton Highlands Paddlers are very proud of the Kiwi Crew and hope to hear from them in the “Land of the Long White Cloud”, as this wonderful and exciting experience unfolds.

Good luck ladies and Paddles Up!

*With more athletes than the Olympics, the World Masters Games is the single biggest multi-sport event on earth, with 25,000 participants converging on Auckland for the event of a lifetime.

Fish Hatchery
66712 Gelert Rd. Haliburton
February 5, 2017     1:30 pm

1:30 Refreshments and social time.  (15-20 minutes)

1. Welcome – Elli
   • introduction of management committee and coaches for 2017
   • summary of our 2016 season
   • format for 2017 – Elli
2. Membership report/treasurer’s report – Jane B.
3. Greetings from Haliburton County Community Co-Operative – Carolynn
4. Equipment report –  Phil
5. Festival participation 2017 – Elli
6. Recruiting additional help – Elli
7. Launching our website – guest
8. Goals for 2017 and beyond – festivals, social events, courses and qualifications etc.
9. Thank you to all who have helped to make this happen.
10. Raffle – win a free membership or one of 10 single day guest passes
11. Membership registration, shirt/paddle orders, festival sign-ups, work crew sign-ups

We wish to thank Patient News and RPM for their continued support.

Haliburton Highlands Paddlers is a part of the Haliburton County Community Cooperative

Please forward this information to any interested persons. We encourage you to bring a friend.

Saturday June 18th, 2016 was a winning day for the local dragon boat team.

The Haliburton Highlands Paddlers came home from a Port Perry-based dragon boat race with a silver medal after placing second in the E Division.

The weekend festival attracted 35 teams from across southern Ontario.

Despite Saturday’s grueling heat and the weedy Lake Scugog,  the 20- member Haliburton Highlands Paddlers stuck with it to complete three separate races throughout the day.

The local team was coached by Scottie Boyd, while team chairperson Elli Armstrong was the drummer. This year’s race was coordinated by Marg Cox.

Last summer, the Haliburton Highlands Paddlers won a bronze at a Port Perry festival and a gold at a race in Dundas, Ontario.

The team works hard, enjoys the experience and the race standings show: the Haliburton Highlands Paddlers are synchronized, strong and determined.

The Haliburton team is registered to compete in a race in Barrie in August and another in Brampton in September.