Tindal dragon boat team ‘hyped up on adrenaline’

The RAAF Base Tindal dragon boat team after their win on Katherine Gorge in the Katherine Flying Fox Festival.

By Corporal Simone Liebelt

THEY may have been a bit wobbly and out-of-sync, but that didn’t stop this RAAF Base Tindal team from rowing their way to victory in the recent Katherine Flying Fox Festival dragon boat races.

According to Base PTI and boat captain Corporal Darren Pay, good teamwork and good fun was their winning combination on the day.

“Our first and only practice in the boat was on the way to the start line for the first race, and we didn’t capsize, so we did alright,” he said. “Everyone was just hyped up on adrenaline.”

The seasoned dragon boat racer had recruited the team from around the base as a way to boost morale for families living at Tindal.

Members’ husbands, wives and children had also jumped on board for the annual event, held on the Katherine Gorge by the Darwin Dragon Boat Association.

Two of those children were Cheyanne and Jaydn Pay, who had been recruited by their dad as the boat drummers.

“My kids were drummers due to their size and weight, and they did a great job putting their lives in the hands of 10 rowers, all bar two of which had never been in a dragon boat before,” Corporal Pay said. “They had an absolute ball.”

Up against teams from Gove and Darwin, the Tindal crew won all three 200m races to claim the dragon boat trophy, which was last won by the base in 2000. They came second in 2001.

“The inexperienced rowers did exceptionally well and everyone worked really well as a team encouraging each other,” he said.

“What stood out the most for me was the look on our teams’ faces as they got out of the boat after the race.

“They were wide-eyed, pumped, but spent. It’s amazing how much energy it takes to paddle a 20-foot bath tub 200m.”

He said the Tindal tradition should be even bigger and better next year.

“All the rowers and their families said that they would be back next year guaranteed (unless they’re posted, obviously), due to the amount of fun and excitement on the day,” he said.

“Next time we plan to put in a couple of teams from Tindal … I haven’t heard of other RAAF bases that enter into dragon boat races, and I’m sure Tindal is the only one that has crocs.”

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