By LSCIS Quentin Mushins
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Taking
to the Yarra - HMAS Cerberus’ dragon boat team competes
at the Melbourne Moomba Championship.
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Photo
LSCIS Quentin Mushins
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Navy
Day
(MPEG video 6.99 MB)
HMAS Cerberus’ dragon boat team triumphed over some of the best
crews in Australia at the Melbourne Moomba Championship recently.
In a prelude to life at sea, the dragon boat team learnt the meaning
of the “morning watch” when it rose at 4am on March 7 to prepare
to compete in the championships.
The regatta was held on the Yarra River and pitted the Cerberus
paddlers against some of the best crews in Australia, including
a number of marathoners and ex-Olympians.
With the team consisting mainly of sailors under training, and
having paddled together for only nine weeks, the Navy dragon boaters
were facing a gruelling challenge and attempting to punch well
above their weight.
But in the proud tradition of past Navy dragon boat teams, the
youthful Cerberus outfit showed they were up to the challenge,
achieving the third-fastest time of the day.
Coach and sweep, CMDR Brendan Byrne said “Given the fitness, experience
and dominance of the competition, the Cerberus paddlers showed
a level of team spirit, courage and never-say-die attitude, that
made us old Navy hands very, very proud to be paddling alongside
them.”
The Cerberus crew went on to finish a nailbiting third in the
500m Victorian Anniversary Cup, in a photo-finish, and just 0.2
seconds behind the champion South Australian team.
Buoyed by this result, the team has its sights set on competitions
in Sydney and Canberra.
They also hope to represent both the Navy and Australia in the
Malaysian Championships in Penang in June.
As the Navy’s premier training establishment, HMAS Cerberus (CAPT
Bob Richards) strongly encourages all personnel to actively participate
in sporting teams.
The Command Element believes that encouraging personnel of all
ranks to get involved in sporting teams not only builds teamwork,
but cultivates those Service values and ethos that are considered
paramount to Navy’s ability to fight and win at sea.
What
is a Dragon boat?
Dragon boats are long, elaborately decorated canoes with a dragon
head and tail. There are 10 rows of wooden benches for the crew.
There is room at the helm for the drummer and a space at the stern
for the steersperson to stand.
What
is Dragon boat racing?
Dragon boat racing dates back more than 2,000 years with its origins
in China. Teams are made up of 22 people - 20 paddlers, a drummer
and a steersperson. Dragon boat racing is a sprint race. Races
are usually 500 metres long and can take anywhere between 2 to
3 minutes to complete.
