Honkers, Here We Come!

Dragon Boat Racing. The team makes a quick start to the race. WN-08-0037-08-tn.jpg.

This is my 6th year with the crew and I have seen many faces come and go. The one thing that does not change though is the commitment and determination from everyone to be the best at what we do. Major Pain Coach Ben and Technical Advisor Coach Sugar have stayed with us for six years and still cannot understand how we manage to win every year, but really the training they make us do is both mentally and physically challenging which is something we seem to thrive and strive on.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our reserve paddlers, supporters, family and friends, Base Auckland MT Section, Base Auckland Camp Pack Up, Base Auckland Education, Jodi our drummer who got dragged in at the last minute and Maki our sweep who we grabbed on the day in a last minute panic, as our normal sweep was unable to make the regatta as we found out 20 minutes before our first race.

We achieved our goal by bringing home the silverware, 28K prize and gold medals convincingly. Results of finals as follows (Note the times between the Open Division - The Big Guns - and the Corporate Division):

For this article the mature members of the club decided we needed some fresh comments from our ‘SKINS’.

CPL Chevelle Ataera:

How did you feel trying out a new sport?

I was really nervous at first, didn’t even know what the boats looked like or how to paddle. But because everyone is so supportive and encourages you, you feel like you've been a part of the team all along. Love having a civilian outsider coach, Ben just tells you how it is and what needs to be done.

Was this your first time experience at the regatta?

I didn’t know what to expect but with all the experience in the team my nerves were calmed by all the positive talk. Getting on the water for the first race, my heart was going for it and the adrenalin was pumping. It was an addictive feeling because I was just itching to get back out there. The hype surrounding the event was really good. The prizegiving and function was cool too. Go the 4 for $10 drinks!

What were your emotions/ feelings on winning the Gold, Cup and the 28K for Hong Kong?

That was ultimate! Crossing the line and hearing the Air Force being named as the 2008 Corporate Winners was very surreal. I didn’t know whether or not I was going to die from exhaustion or cry with emotion - I think I died with a smile? [It was] really rewarding to see all our hard work resulting in such a great win. Very proud moment when we raised our paddles to acknowledge our supporters who were there backing us all the way.

FGOFF Andrew Bannan:

I'd watched Dragon Boating before and always wanted to give it a go. Joining a team of motivated paddlers made the learning experience heaps easier, and although the training sessions can be very intense the team atmosphere makes it enjoyable. Stoked that we took out the Corporate Championship final by such a big margin.

Air Force Dragon Boating Team with Cup, Gold medal’s and Grand Prize. WN-08-0037-13-tn.jpg.

CPL Sarina Heta:

I used to dragon boat before I joined the Air Force, so I've had the experience in regatta's and the hard out trainings. This competition was quite different though. I'm not a civilian and the prize has never been so big before. In my civilian team, we trained a lot. The Air Force team…. Well, we hardly trained at all!!! So, when we actually won the gold medal… well… I was shocked… AND ON TOP OF THE WORLD!!!!

I did notice a huge difference this time. A lot of “ahuatanga” (feeling) was in the boat. I never felt this in the civilian teams ever before.

I guess our Air Force Vision does follow us everywhere… 'We will be an Air Force that is the best in all that we'.

LAC Rachel Thomas:

Dragon boating is the biggest team event I have been involved in, with twenty people paddling a sweep and drummer. We all have to work together as a team to achieve our goal, to get to the end before anyone else.

I thought it was amazing how a group of people with all different stature could get together and form a great team in the water with minimal practice.

The ceremony at the beginning ‘awaking the dragon’ was amazing to watch. But I’d have to say the celebrating at the end once we knew we had won the gold and the money to go to Hong Kong would have to be my highlight. Everyone with smiles on their faces and wearing our gold medals, what an awesome sight.

PIKI AKE

It’s not quite over yet, now we really ‘Step it up’. The 29th of March will see us paddling at the 2008 National Dragon Boating Championships which are being held in Auckland at Lake Pupuke over the North Shore. If ever the Air Force has needed your support then this is the place and event where we are going to need it, so if you’re not doing anything that day come over to the lake, enjoy the sun, experience the atmosphere of hundreds of competitors from all over Aotearoa, and be prepared to watch some spectacular racing.

Watch for an article on this event with results in the next issue.

The Air Force 2008 Auckland Corporate Champions were:

FGOFF P. Jackson, FGOFF A. Bannan, FGOFF J. Borgman, W/O J. Rudolph, CPO K. Cassidy, SGT J. Ekman, CPL C. Ataera, CPL D. Goodwin, CPL K. Borgman, CPL S. Heta, CPL J. Irving, LAC A. Hahn, LAC C. Sefo, LAC R. Thomas, LAC L. Den Harder, LAC S. Roberts, LAC M. Wilson, AC A. Nansen-Moran, AC D. Mozel, AC L. Nicholas, Mrs L. Portas, Ms L. Howe, Mr G. Portas, Mr K. Taiaroa.

Image Gallery - Issue 91