Tradition Connects Us Miles Apart: University of Waterloo Alumni at the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival 2023

Writing and Photography provided by UWAAHK
photography by Justin wong

On 22 June 2023 (Tuen Ng Festival) a group of University of Waterloo alumni gathered together and participated in the Sun Life Stanley International Dragon Boat Festival for the first time since 2019. This year 168 teams and over 5,000 paddlers raced in the 270-meter course in Stanley Main Beach on the southern part of the Hong Kong Island. Our team, Waterloo Warriors (滑水龍), comprises of a group of sports loving individuals who have graduated from the university in the ‘80s all the way through to the late ’10s, as well as friends of alumni who were interested in learning to paddle. Each boat has 18 male and female paddlers plus a drummer and a steersman, and in the middle of races there is a traditional eye-dotting ceremony that typically marks each dragon boat festival.

My first time dragon boating was with my former work’s corporate team back in 2015 and 2016. Prior to that I had never participated in the sport when I lived in Canada. I was delighted to learn that the University of Waterloo Alumni Association (Hong Long), or UWAAHK, a self-governed and independent organization, established since 1979, decided to organize the Waterloo Warriors (滑水龍) dragon boat team in 2023, the first time since 2019 before COVID. I am honoured to be the team captain of the long traditioned Waterloo Warriors (滑水龍) dragon boat team with more than 40 years history. On race day family and friends of the paddlers joined us at the Stanley Beach and cheered us on in the comfort of a 75-ft yacht, thank to the generous alumni for our complimentary use. After the race, we stayed on the yacht for a 2-hour scenic voyage to Sai Kung where we enjoyed a delicious seafood dinner to end a perfect day.

Being part of a team with Canadian ties was a great way for me to make new friends and reconnect with my Canadian roots even though I now call Hong Kong as my home. This group functions mainly as a sports and social networking platform for alumni of the school and from time to time will host junk boat and seafood trips, apart from dragon boating.

Our dragon boat team began weekly practices in April and with luck and perseverance ultimately placed 6th runner-up in the Gold Bowl Mixed Final this year! Riding on the momentum from this race, the team is now preparing to compete at least one more time in a small dragon (10 paddler race) before the dragon boat season is over.

Any alumni and students who are living or coming to Hong Kong are encouraged to connect with UWAAHK for dragon boat, networking and social functions.

Facebook URL: www.facebook.com/groups/uwaahk/
IG: @uwaahk
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/159015/

#UWAAHK

Connecting Alumni and Friends since 1979

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