Northern Phoenix
In 2016, a group of us decided to help grow the sport and start up our own team. Our name came about as we are a team based north of the Waimakariri River, and as we all know the Phoenix is a bird associated with rising from the ashes of its predecessor and so it is for us. Northern Phoenix rising from the water to accept the challenge laid before us from the dragon boat community. The challenge has been accepted and so Northern Phoenix is born.
We are a team of all ages, sexes and backgrounds, we are very much a family oreintated team, with Dads and Daughters, Mums and Sons, Husbands and Wives. Some of us come with paddling experience and some with none, but we all come together with the same enthusiasm for the sport, to be part of a team, enjoy the camaraderie - and with a bit of a healthy competitive streak, too. We are a focused team on the water and get the most out of the sport, but never forgetting that we are a family/social team so have some fun off the water also. It is a sport the whole family can enjoy together, so we encourage them all to give it a go or just to come along and support.
As a team we have had some varied success in the last few seasons. We attended our first National Champs at Lake Hood in Ashburton in 2017/18 season, where we got our first bronze medal in 200m and 500m distances, in small boat. At the recent South Island Champs 2018/19 season we got gold in 200m and silver in 500m again in small boat. along with this success our coach was asked to coach a school team. So he took on Oxford Area School, a groups of students who had never seen a dragon boat before, let alone paddled one. They had 4 weeks of intensive training 2 times a week and then race day was here. They won most of their heats and then won the final.
Training times and schedule is still yet to be determined for this coming season. Feel free to make contact with us for more information.
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