{besps}2010fightingcarpsmilton{/besps}
It may have been a grey day in Milton, Ontario, but the atmosphere was streaked with brilliant blue as JETAA Toronto’s Fighting Carps team captured gold in the ‘D’ division of the TigerTel dragonboat regatta on August 15.
Many thanks to Kwok Chan for the most excellent photography!
The true blue jerseys — a big change from last season’s orange — seemed to give the Carps increasing power throughout the day, as their race times improved with each round. The shirts are adorned with original art by our own JETAA Toronto webmaster, Mr. David Namisato.
In the final race it came down to the wire. Twenty paddles moved in unison, pulling the heavy boat forward. Weary muscles cried out against the strain, but Coach Kevin urged them on, and the Carp boat never slowed.
At the finish, even the weary Carps thought they might have lost out to the strong competition. But after the judges consultations, it was found the Fighting Carps had crossed the finish line first. The teammates could proudly celebrate with gold medals — a perfect match to their royal blue shirts.
Now the team turns its attention towards its biggest race of the season, the Great White North (GWN) Challenge at Marylin Bell Park in Toronto, Sept 11-12. Come out and support the team, and enjoy the festival atmosphere by the lake. The weekend includes lots of races, food and shopping, and a performance by Montreal band The Stills.