VICTORIA, B.C. — The Gig Harbor Dragon Boat team raced under sunny skies and a postcard waterfront at the Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival in Victoria, British Columbia, on June 20th, fielding three crews against a deep international field and coming
away with two medals and a final-heat showdown against a much younger pack.

Sunshine and the scenic Inner Harbour set the stage for an unforgettable weekend for the club, which traveled north with 35 paddlers making the trip. Racing one team across three crews in 250-meter sprint races, the Dragons navigated a busy harbor course shared with sea planes, ferries, water taxis, personal craft and whale watching tours.

The annual festival, which began as part of the Commonwealth Games in Victoria in 1994, draws teams from around the region and includes food, music, cultural entertainment, and fundraising to support cancer research and treatment in British Columbia.

The club’s women’s crew, “Fire,” stole the show. Against a field of thirteen women’s teams across four heats, Fire powered to a first-place finish in B Division and left with the gold medal.

Gig Harbor also reached the podium in the Visitor’s Cup, a single heat of four crews from off Vancouver Island. The Dragons placed third to claim a bronze medal.

The team’s mixed crew, “Storm,” more than held its own in a crowded field of seventeen mixed teams across four heats, advancing all the way to the B final. There the Dragons lined up against three University of British Columbia student crews and, while they did not medal, they finished strong and earned admiring looks from competitors less than half their age.

The strong showing in Victoria continues a fast start to the 2026 season for the club, which earlier swept the podium with gold and silver finishes at the Seattle Dragon Boat Festival on Lake Union and opened the year with two gold medals at the Rainier Dragon Boat Festival in Tacoma. “It takes a Dragon Village to make these events a success,” the team said. The team now turn their sights to the Can-Am club crew event in Montreal on the horizon.

Coaches Wendy Flick and Shira Stark credited the result to a deep roster and a tirelessgroup of volunteers who kept the operation running through tight turnarounds between heats. Logistics leaders Debbie Low and Richard Hume chased down race results and kept paddlers hydrated and on time at an event short on volunteers. Crew captains Kathleen Swanton, Sandra Kern and Deana Fanning directed all 35 Dragons, ensuring paddlers, cross-benched paddlers, coaches and steers were in the right place at the right time. Steers Margaux Serock and Mike Swanton guided every crew safely from the starting line to the finish through wind, tide and heavy harbor traffic. Team captain Jenny Chronister served as race-day MVP, working the dock with her wagon of paddles and water bottles and a friendly word for every volunteer loading and unloading boats.

About the Gig Harbor Dragon Boat Club
The Gig Harbor Dragon Boat Club is a Gig Harbor, Washington–based team built on teamwork, fitness, and camaraderie both on and off the water. The club welcomes seasoned paddlers and first-timers alike. Learn more at gigharbordragons.com.

About the Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival
Since its founding as part of 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, the Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival is held annually in the Inner Harbour in Victoria in midAugust. The event attracts teams from Canada and the United States and includes fundraising for BC Cancer through the Lights of Courage campaign. Learn more at www.victoriadragonboatfestival.com