Western Australia 55km marathon paddle

In June, 10 ladies from the Dragons Abreast Gold Coast team travelled to Western Australia to participate in a 55 km marathon paddle down the iconic Ord River.

The marathon is an event, which has continued to grow in popularity and  is run annually by the Kununurra Dragon Boat Club. This year it was reserved for breast cancer survivors and their supporters. The marathon is unique because it offers the challenge of the longest paddle available to paddlers in Australia and for breast cancer survivors it offered the opportunity to proclaim the health benefits of dragon boat paddling.

Survivors and their supporters came from all parts of Australia to fill 8 boats with 14 paddlers and a steer person ready for the start at Lake Argyle at 7: 30 a.m. . The paddlers reported that the river was fast flowing at first, but despite the heavy drag they experienced as they continued towards Kununurra all boats crossed the finish line by 4:30 p.m.

There were 3 stops along the way, which allowed the paddlers to stretch their cramped limbs and refuel their bodies. All the participants agreed that the magnificent scenery of gorges and the stunning wildlife that included freshwater crocs inspired their determination to finish the course.
​
The day was completed with a dinner shared by all the paddlers allowing them to celebrate and commemorate a very special event while bringing awareness of breast cancer to the fore.

---