Team name: Dragon Riders
Founded: 2011
Team type/Race division: Youth Ages 13-18 and 19-24
Practice times: Saturdays 10:30am –12:00pm and Wednesdays 4:30 – 6:30pm, Comox Marina
About the team: Dragon Riders was established to provide opportunities for youth in the Comox Valley to experience one of the fastest growing team sports. They will develop teamwork, leadership and social skills.
Coach: Joan Goodwin –
Joan began paddling in 2013 with Hope Afloat, a recreational, cancer-survivor team in Comox, BC.
In 2015, while continuing with Hope Afloat, she joined the Gorging Dragons paddling on the Senior C (60+) women and mixed crews. After successfully qualifying at respective Canadian National Championships, Joan and the GDs competed at the Club Crew World Championships in Australia (2016), Hungary (2018), and Florida (2022).
In 2019, Joan was selected to represent Canada on the Senior B (50+) women and mixed teams at the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships held in Thailand.
Wanting to give back to the sport that has given her so much, in the summer of 2023 she began coaching for VI Paddling’s newest program in Comox, BC – Wave Cutters – a fast track program designed to introduce new paddlers to the sport over the course of two short weeks before racing at the Comox Dragon Boat Festival.
Festivals attended: Comox Dragon Boat Festival, Port Alberni Dragon Boat Festival at Sproat Lake, and either Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival or Race the River in Campbell River.
Contact information: Team Manager – Joanne Probert, joanneprobert99@gmail.com
Sponsors: Local merchants, professional service providers and individuals in the Comox Valley.
Recruiting?: New and experienced paddlers are welcomed, equipment is supplied, coaches are wonderful, and fees are minimal at $55 per season.
