Henley Dragons strike gold at European Championships

NINE members of the Henley Dragons have returned from Prague with an impressive medals haul after competing in the 15th European Dragon Boat Championships.

Members of the club trialled for places in the national squad back in March. Four of Henley’s women — Candy Connor-Wong, Heather Frost, Emma Corless and Nan King — and four men — Laurence Plant, Graham Edmunds, Dayne Matthews and Matt Hewson — won places as paddlers, with Jack Hawkes given a spot as drummer. Together they formed the biggest representation of any UK dragon boat club to the national side, as well as the fastest male and female paddlers on their respective sides.

After some quiet years for GB, the aim was to get the nation back on the podium, which they did. Racing in categories of men’s, women’s and mixed over distances of 200m, 500m, 1,000m and 2,000m across the age categories and in both standard (20 paddlers) and small (10 paddlers) boats, the squad as a whole delivered four golds, five silvers and 14 bronze medals. The small women’s and mixed boat crews, which both included Henley paddlers, medalled in every distance they raced, with some photo finishes as dragon heads crossed the line within 100ths of a second of each other.

Dragon boating is unfunded as a national sport, so the Henley paddlers have worked hard over recent months to fit training around their families and day jobs including teachers, a pharmacist and a psychologist.

For Frost, it was a first — representing her country on an international stage. Frost said: “It has been an incredible learning experience, both physically and emotionally. I have pushed through my own barriers and surpassed my own limits. I cannot wait to see where my dragon boat journey leads to next.”

Plant, a Henley-based physiotherapist, added: “The team dug deep in a strong field. It was a privilege to be a part of and we look forward to the world championships in Germany next year.”

Anyone wishing to give dragon boating a go should contact henleydragons@outlook.com for further details.