Sometimes, it’s hard for me to believe that one of the dragon boat world’s most prestigious events takes place in my own backyard, because the water in the Bay is notoriously frigid and choppy. The feds put Alcatraz, once the world’s most secure prison, here for a reason. Somehow, despite these less than hospitable conditions, the San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival (SFIDBF) has become the largest dragon boat festival in the country. Every year, the toughest teams from the around the world – the ones mad enough to deal with San Francisco’s hostile waters – travel to Treasure Island for two days of hardcore racing. As usual, DieselFish entered the fray. But this year’s SFIDBF was anything but ordinary. We went head-to-head with some of the most competitive teams from around the world and held our own. In fact, we delivered some of our best performances in years!
We owe our success to a thoughtful training plan and an explosion of energy. This year, we started our preparations earlier and tried new methods. The crew may not have realized it, but every race prior to the battle in the Bay was a dress rehearsal. Our coaches took the lessons we learned throughout the year, and applied them to our training regimen. At the same time, DieselFish’s recruitment boom continued to bring new blood to the team. These rookies came to us excited about the sport and eager for a challenge. These developments made us faster, stronger and hungrier. By the time the SFIDBF rolled around, the team was ready to show the world what it could do.
At the festival, the team’s “Fresh Fish” rookies maintained their focus and paddled hard, just as their coaches taught them. The fresh fish should be proud of their effort – they earned a spot in Division B, an amazing feat when you consider just how wet behind the ears most of them are. A few of the Fresh Fish had never raced before!
DieselFish’s “Salty Fish” veterans had their work cut out for them. They had to face a gauntlet filled with some of the dragon boat world’s most fearsome competitors. The Salty Fish, however, were well prepared thanks to the breakthroughs they made in fitness and technique throughout the season. They pulled water like nobody’s business, and exceeded last season’s performance by breaking into Division A, the highest level of competition!
This year’s SFIDBF was a grueling, yet rewarding experience. DieselFish faced fierce competition, but rose to the challenge. We walked away from Treasure Island with a feeling of accomplishment, because we delivered strong performances that exceed last year’s results. It’s gratifying to know that all the hard work and energy we put in throughout the season paid off!
Hello Internet friends! Doesn’t dragon boat racing with DieselFish sound like fun? Go to http://dieselfish.org/ now to sign up for a free practice session!
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