Hangzhou Expat - road to the champion of the Dragon Boat Race

https://v.qq.com/txp/iframe/player.html?vid=j1318vb1mo4&width=500&height=375&auto=0

Two year's ago

Memories of Dragon Boat Festival  - by Malceva Alla阿拉
端午节的回忆

I remember 2 years ago I have participated in Dragon Boat Racing for the first time. The race started, we were so exited, rowing too fast, shouting to ourselves: "go, go!" ...didn't hear the drums already.
我记得2年前我第一次参加赛龙舟。赛龙舟开始了。我们激动起来了， 加快速度了。我们都一直在喊了：“go, go！” …… 已经没听到打鼓的人。

We didn't mention how our boat collided with enother one, which was infront. So we won't be able to finish the race then, cause we fell into water and were swimming in Xixi Wetland. After we've been rescued, we asked for the restart, but we were not alowed.
然后我们没注意到了，和别的舟相撞了。结果是我们没到达终点，队人都是在西溪湿地游泳了。水里我发现了，这条河没有岸边。就是自己不会 浮到岸了，所以我们都在水里等了救生船。得救以后，我们问 举办方可不可以再来飘一圈，他们说了不行。

Fortunately, I gave all my belonings to a friend... exept watch. They were not expensive, so can be used in many cases. So they just stopped at the moment we fell into water. I remember that day so clearly, so unforgettable...
幸好我把手机，播放器都给了朋友。训练的时候我把这些都随身带着…… 除了手表以外。它们不贵，放心的可以用。手表就停了，指向我们舟翻过来的时间。我喜欢想起这一刻，难忘的回忆 ……

Today I'm wearing that watch again, knowing for sure that they won't stop again. I hope our team will sucsessfully finnish the race today, show good time and get worthy results! Wish good luck to my team members! Go, Hangzhou Expats!
今天我戴着那一块手表，确定的是它第二次不会停。希望这次我们队顺利地到达终点 、表现出好的时间、拿到应有的成绩。祝队员好运！ 向胜利前进，杭州国际社区队！

Motto：Without team work,  power is nothing！
标语：如果缺乏协同工作，力气没有意义！

Three weeks ago

We decided all the team members for this year, they are Alla, Fabien, Fuad, Gabriel, Giacomo, Gunther, Jeff, Julia, Raul and Sophie.

First training

Our captain Fabien helped us to find places to train, and finally decided to train on the river in Zijinggang campus of Zhejiang University, 4 of our players Fabien, Gunther, Jeff and Julia  joined it on the rainy day.  special thanks to 许亚萍 for letting us use the facility

It is teamwork

10 players meet at a Starbucks, we talked a lot, and it is the first time for many of us to try a real dragon boat paddle, Fabien took his own paddle, and everyone tried to do the right movement.

First and the only one training on water

We are really serious about it, many of us arrived the gathering point 30 minutes in advance, you can feel how excited we are. and we are the No.4 boat via the draw, in many wesern countries, it is a lucky number, so good luck to us !

Where is our team's T-shirt 

This is what we are supposed to wear, but the manufacturer can't send them to us on time as promised, so we have to use the blud ones.

and special thanks to Giacomo, he bought extra 3 gloves for the teammates. we can feel that it is a great team !

It is the TIME !  We are READY !

Group photo before boarding the boat

To the staring point

Waiting for start the race

Fabien and Gunther are great leader,s motived us, remind us the right thing to do and kept a nice rhythm

Finish the race

Glory moment

https://v.qq.com/txp/iframe/player.html?vid=j1318vb1mo4&width=500&height=375&auto=0

See us on TV

https://v.qq.com/txp/iframe/player.html?vid=k002386x6jd&width=500&height=375&auto=0

What they want to say !

by teammate Fabien Dufour

In French rowing team since 2003 to 2011, I win the world rowing champion in 2017. I arrive in Hangzhou(Zhejiang University of Science and Technology ZUST) 8 month ago for learning Chinese, when I came to China, I never think I will have the opportunity to do a dragon boat race and refund the same sensation of boating race and team spirit like rowing years ago!

More than the victory, I will remember this experience like an amazing human adventure with new friends from different country together aroud a same passion for sport and Chinese culture. 

For dragon boat race, without team work, power is nothing !

by teammate Julia Pochat

The chance to be part of the Dragon Boat Festival allowed me to be part of a fantastic team, learn more about the Dragon Boat festival and enjoy feeling part of a long Chinese tradition. This race demanded that all the team members learn and trust each other, and work together to make it to the end line! I now feel excited about sharing this beautiful experience with friends within China and family overseas. Thank you Hangzhou for letting us join you on this amazing day!

by teammate Maltceva Alla 阿拉

10 participating teams, 36 different countries, 2 hours of burning in the sun, 2400 meters of rowing, distance passed in 12 mins 18 sec... The most important thing that can't be counted, it is a team cooperation. 
Thanks you guys, for this moment... and "lean out"!)))Great finish!

10个龙舟队，队员来自36个国家， 2小时晒在太阳上，划了2400米，12分钟18秒完成了行程……有一些算不了的重要东西，就是协同工作。感谢大家你们的支持！谢谢队员你们的合作，对我带来的这些回忆！完美地到达终点啦！

by teammate Fuad Mohammed

It was in 2015 that I  saw a dragon boat festival for the first time. Here is how,  my classmates decided to travel to Suzhou and spend the holiday in there and told me if I can join me. Immideately after their suggestion I did some research from internet about it and agreed to join the crew.  It was a good experience to be a part of the audience and cheer others racing.  Such a great time. Despite the fact that I was envy of the contestants it made me notice how Chinese people and expatriates who live in here love and respect the culture.  

By the coming year I applied for the race but for some reason I couldn't be able to be a part of dragon boat fest. But now I did it.  Not only participated on the race but I was also a part of the winning team.  The spirit and the team work was on point.  The feeling when the host announced the winner was indescribable.  

I am really glad to have such experience and thanks Jake for giving me this opportunity. It's a kind of memory that lasts forever.  

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