by Debi Thoresen, Central Coast SurviveOars Paddler
It all started in the summer of 2022 when our coach announced that we had been invited to the 2023 Club Crew National Championships in Sarasota, Florida. Should we decide to accept, we would compete in the All Cancer Paddler division. If we placed first or second, we would earn a berth to the 2024 World Club Crew World Championships in Ravenna, Italy.
Accept we did! The next year was spent honing our paddling skills in the bay as well as beefing up our land exercises. We wanted to be as strong as possible for the Nationals.
The outcome? Two silver medals (200M, 500M) and one gold (2,000M). What an experience! Victory was sweet, especially with the challenge of the Florida heat & humidity.
Was I living in a dream? Then the realization of the work ahead to prepare for Italy hit. Competing on the world stage. Could I do it? I knew I would never know, if I did not try.
September 2024 finally arrived, and our crew of 23 men and women, all cancer survivors, was ready! Opening Day festivities in Ravenna included a parade of representatives for each team, 163 clubs from 30 nations, each one introduced to the cheering crowd. The final event of opening day was the lighting of the torch, signaling the start of the six days of competition ahead. So exciting, so many languages, so many team uniforms; it felt like our own Olympics!
Once again, our team focus on paddling and land training paid off. We earned gold medals in all three heats; the 200 Meter, 500 Meter and 2,000 Meter races! What an incredible experience, working with my teammates for this victory. I am so thrilled to have had this opportunity as a dragon boat paddler.
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