The 28th Bergisch Dragon Boat Festival attracted several hundred visitors to the Beyenburg reservoir on 3 June 2023, who watched the exciting competitions on the water in glorious sunshine.
22 teams from Saarland, Offenbach, Frankfurt and Bergisch with around 300 paddlers came, according to the organizing club for canoeing Wuppertal (VfK), including seven large and 15 small boats as well as five trainee teams.
The rhythmic drumbeats that propelled the 10-20 paddlers in the boat could be heard from afar. On the shore and on the bridges around the reservoir, onlookers gathered to watch the spectacle with sunglasses on their noses and a cool drink in hand. (Rheinische Post 04.06.2023)
The AKT Dragons took part for the first time and enjoyed considerable success. Right at the premiere, they competed against a dragon boat with two paddlers from the German national team.
The internal best time of 1:09.70 over 200 meters is something to look back on with a little pride. After all, it puts them in the top third of the table. Although there was a lack of consistency and the opportunity to substitute fresh paddlers for a corresponding ranking, there was no shortage of fun.
To be continued...
