Dragon boats make a splash

Photo: Contributed

The long weekend's ninth annual Okanagan Super Sprints dragon boat races are being deemed a success.

Thanks to excellent weather and 22 keen teams, the races on Skaha Lake went off without a hitch.

The event attracted teams from throughout the Okanagan and as far away as Richmond.

The Twisted Dragons from Richmond placed first in the mixed division. The local Golden Dragons ranked second with a time of 1:10:40, and the Silver Dragons were third.

This year’s seniors were not far behind the younger teams.

Penticton's Despirit Housewives, who recently competed in Hong Kong, took the win in the women’s division with a time of 1:07:20.

Dragon Fire placed second, and Paddlemonium third.

The sprints began as a way for local teams to practise racing over a shorter distance early in the season, in preparation for the Penticton Dragon Boat Festival in September.

The sprints are also a fundraiser for Muscular Dystrophy Penticton, with about $20,000 raised over the past six years.

For more information about the Penticton Dragon Boat Festival, e­mail [email protected].