Henley trio selected for Team GB squad

THREE members of Henley’s dragon boat racing club, Henley Dragons, will be heading out to Thailand next month to race for their country in the bi-annual international championships.

Patricia Abrudan, Edwin Lam and Candy Connor-Wong will joint members from seven other clubs in the GB premier squad.

Team GB have attended either European or World championships every year since the first international championships in 1995.

The trio will have a packed training schedule, while trying to raise funds as a squad to help meet the cost of entry into the championships. This includes essential kit and entry fees as well as travel and accommodation costs for every training weekend and the championships themselves — a total of almost £3,000 per person. Funds are raised through a combination of donations and sponsorships, with a number of sponsorship opportunities available for businesses.

The international championships will take place in Pattaya, Thailand, from August 7 to 13. The GB premier squad will be racing against teams from Australia, China, Chinese Taipei, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sweden and Thailand.