Hansom prepares for the Little Britain Challenge Cup with an afternoon’s dragon boat racing in North London.
If London hosts the 2012 Olympics I for one will be campaigning for the inclusion of Dragon Boat Racing as our demonstration sport. The one-off event is a chance for the home nation to pick an event in which it stands half a chance of winning.
Dragon Boat Racing will have to compete against national favourites such as darts and cheese rolling, but judging by the success of the recent Dragon Boat Challenge sponsored by Building the event is rapidly growing in popularity.
A total of 40 crews took part in the event, the highest ever number of entries. With on-board drums beating out a steady rhythm across the West Reservoir in Stoke Newington, the competition between crews this year was particularly intense and the final was a dead heat between Wates Walk on Water and Robinson Low Francis. Other victors included Darth Fabers, alias FaberMaunsell, who came in as the top mixed crew, and Blazing Paddles from Allies and Morrison, who won the Crash Charity Trophy having raised more than £1,600 for the building charity.
Next year’s Challenge is planned for July 7th. Before then I will be negotiating the choppy waters of the Solent in the Little Britain Challenge Cup. The event has received an impressive 216 entries this year. I for one will be looking forward to watching the winch monkeys haul up the sails as I down a few G&Ts on the way to Cowes.
