Boracay's dragonboat race team brings honor to country
Boracay women's dragon race team.
Boracay Island, known for its white beaches and crystal clear waters, is also fast becoming known for bringing honors to the country through its dragonboat racing team.
The Bugsay Boracay dragonboat race team has earned medals in recent international competitions in Boracay and in Hongkong.
The paddlers from the island-resort won the bronze medal in the International Women's Golden Championships while the mixed team the gold medal in the Mixed Silver Championships during this year's Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Race held in June. The men's team finished 8th place in the same competition.
The women's team also finished fourth in the AIA Stanley International Dragon Boat Championships also held in Hong Kong while the men's team finished 10th at their category held at Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre in Macau.
Around 200 teams from different countries joined the two competitions.
Boracay's 48 dragon boat delegates include resort owners, island-based expatriates, hotel and resort workers and residents of the island.
Each 20-member team is composed of 18 paddlers, a steersman and a drummer.
The team also dominated last summer's 1st Rudy Project Boracay International Dragonboat Festival organized by the Boracay Island Paddlers Association (BIPA).
The Boracay paddlers won four medals (three gold and one bronze) in the six events of the competition.
In between their training, the team launched a series of fundraising parties in Boracay and in Manila to raise funds for their participation in the Hong Kong competition.
The fundraising activities include selling souvenir shirts, beads and other merchandises, performing with native musical instruments and passing of the hat for tips at bars during sunset, and food ad drinks.
Aside from winning the dragonboat races, the team has helped attract more tourists to the island resort,' said Nenette Graf, a member of the women's team and president of the Boracay Foundation Inc., a group of owners of resorts, restaruants and other businesses on the island.