That is the way I feel about the growing sport here in Trinidad and Tobago as well. I just like it. The movement of the boats over the water, the paddles digging into the surf, moves something inside me like freedom bubbling up, that probably connects back to something in my ancestry. How true that is I don't know given my Afro-Trinbagonian heritage. If that's the case I should feel more at home in a savannah than near water but my mother does have Amerindian in her blood so maybe it has something to do with that. But, back to boat racing!
Dragon boat racing to be exact. In commemoration of the arrival in 1806 of our Chinese-Trinbagonian brethren, every year, either on the 12th of October which is the official date for the CHINESE BICENTENNIAL or the Sunday closest to it, the Dragon Boat Festival is held, this year at Anchorage, Chaguaramas on Sunday the 9th of October 2011.
So at nine ten in the morning, I arrived and despite some news reports of it starting at 8 or even 9am, I was not expecting anything to start until 10am. And like typical Trinis, they did not disappoint. At 9:30 the first boats started heading out into the water, lining up at their markers to await the starters horn. By 9:45 the boats slowing began, one by one, to head off to the shade of the trees hanging over the hillside as the officials seemed to be taking their tender time. By 9:50 the officials came speeding over in a small fishing boat and by 9:55 the first race finally started with Sports World Aquaholics winning the first heat of the day. Now I may be wrong, but after five minutes the teams, instead of heading back to the loading bay, went back up to the starting line and raced again. There did seem to be a bad start the first time to me but the announcer didn't announce a do-over so I can't be sure. However, the second race was announced as heat one and not the first so I can assume that was the case. Either way, Sports World Aquaholics ran away (well, rowed away) with the win again.
After this, the races went off smoothly. As soon as a race finished the teams made their way back up to the loading bay, where the next set of teams were waiting for them to disembark to head out themselves into the water and off to the starting line. The time between the races was only 15 to 30 minutes apart for the most and as soon as one race finished the results for the race before that was announced. Well after doing this for the last five years, I would expect them to get the flow of it by now! Ha, ha! Flow, get it? Water, flowing,...? Oh-kay, moving on!
The seniors rowed first. Some of the participating teams were Sports World Aquaholics, Degree Tidal Bliss, GHL Awestruck, Point Fortin Shock Wave, Western Union Angels and Saints, Excellent Stores Titans, Energy Vanguard, Vikings, Paddle to One Drum and UTT South Drillers. It was hard to say which teams were the clear cut winners but Sports World Aquaholics, Excellent Stores Titans and Paddle to One Drum seemed to be doing well, winning almost every race they were in up to lunchtime.
After the seniors had their first round of races, the Juniors started at about quarter past 11, with just two races from what I saw. South East, St. Mary's college and Trinity college raced in the mixed category, while Bishops raced against Holy Name Convent in the womens, eh-hem, young ladies category. Trinity college and Bishops won these heats respectively.
By lunchtime, all the seniors had raced twice in their respective heats and the sessions breaked for lunch! While patrons thronged the one (1) food booth (doh know what was going on with that but the food taste gooood!), we were provided with entertainment. From a tai chi fan dancer to Tassa Drummers who had the crowd cheering them on, and expected (ah mean is trinis we dealing with here) but still unexpected winers to the DJ's mix (some parent had their chile rolling they eye and ducking wid shame).
In the end Excellent Stores Titans took home the win in their category with a tight race against Sports World Aquaholics.
Trinity College and Bishops Anstey won in their respective school categories. Honestly my support went to St. Mary's College but my favourite school team was Holy Name Convent. (Doh take it on brother!) Why?
If anybody had walked in at the end of their race they would have never guessed that those girls had lost. They were cheering and chanting going into the water and cheering and chanting back out! They had their own cheer-leading section just in case you couldn't hear them from the water and they probably were all hopped up on gatorade but THAT's what I call a winning spirit!!
Here are a few more images below that captured the events of the day.
Didn't get to load all the pictures I wanted to but as you can see the teams and patrons were out and having fun. Hope to see you there next time.
- A. Semog
