Mo Cowdell, Denmark Bulletin
The Mandurah Vikings claimed first and second place at the Wings on the Water Dragonboat Regatta on Saturday May 17 on the Denmark River.
The Vikings’ top team achieved a combined 2 minutes 44.81, followed closely by their second team at 2 minutes 47.81. Fury and Friends secured third place with 2 minutes 48.72, narrowly missing second place by 9/10ths of a second.
The race was fiercely competitive, with only 15-seconds between the first and last teams. Spectators cheered from Berridge Park while more than 120 participants managed swift transitions on the Riverside Club side to ensure continuous racing.
Perth race compere ‘Moose’ provided commentary to the delight of attendees. Teams comprised 10 paddlers, a sweep to steer and a drummer to maintain rhythm.
Ten teams competed for the inaugural Dragonfly Cup in six rounds of racing, covering a 200m stretch with 30 races in total. Each team’s three fastest times were combined to determine the winner.
The Denmark Dragonflies finished in 10th place with a commendable performance, narrowly beaten by Cockburn by 5/10ths of a second.
Clubs from Albany, Bunbury, Canning, Cockburn, Fremantle, Mandurah and Maylands participated, with some clubs fielding multiple teams or combining forces to compete.
The event received sponsorship from the Denmark Hotel and Denmark Rivermouth Caravan Park and concluded with an after-party dinner and entertainment at the Riverside Club. The day was warmly received leaving participants thrilled by the camaraderie, weather and community support.
The Denmark Dragonflies had 16 members present on the day to make it the success it was. Five members volunteered as due to health issues/injuries they were unable to compete but everyone benefited from their efforts.
They were Gwyneth Checketts, Cris Hockey, Lyn Cottee, Ruth McConigly and John Ward.
Denmark dragonboat teams comprised Sue Bussell (drummer), paddlers, Kerry Clark, Claire de Monk, Peta Gornall, Sarah McConigley, Kerry Miller, Roger Pollard, Julie Robins, Kath Ward and Elsie Edmonds. Mo Cowdell (sweep) plus adopted paddlers from Fremantle Club, Dave and Deb Barbas.
This article appeared in Denmark Bulletin, 29 May 2025.
