…And we’re back!  Happy belated Lunar New Year!

We’re officially starting the 2012 season with our first practice at Lake Merced on Sunday, January 29, 10:00-12:00.

Bring your signed CDBA waiver forms, bring your gear and water, and get ready to use those upper body and core muscles we all neglected during the holidays.

Now’s also a good time to drag bring your friends with you to experience the awesomeness that is dragon boating.

Paddles up!

Lightwave held its end-of-year celebration dinner at Silver Lake restaurant in San Mateo, where everyone had a fun time in the Babes of Lightwave contest to identify teammates from their baby pictures.

New officers for the next season were also announced. Please welcome the following:

• Captain: Carol L.
• Manager: Justin K.
• Coaches: Preston C., Jackie Y., John H.
• Treasurer: Gary W.
• Social committee: Julie L., Bernie L., Ray J.
• Food committee: Amelia K., Sylvia Y., Belinda C., Jason T.
• Fitness coach: Andy L.

Want an easy costume for Halloween?  How about pretending to be a dragon boat paddler?

On Sunday morning, Oct. 30, Lightwave will host an open house practice in Redwood City for anyone interested in giving the sport a try.  Veteran team members will be there to welcome and paddle alongside newcomers as the team introduces them to this intense water sport.  All the equipment is provided, you just need to bring sunscreen and a water bottle, and dress in comfortable clothes and shoes that can get wet.  And no prior experience is needed!

Sunday, October 30, 2011
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Bair Island Aquatic Center (map)
Redwood City, CA

RSVP via e-mail or on the Facebook event. Spread the word and get your friends to come out with you, the more the merrier!

A big congratulations to all members of Lightwave for a spectacular effort at the 2011 San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival.  What better way to close out the racing season than with some hardware, and gold hardware, at that!

Lightwave started off strong in the seeding heat with a second place finish, losing to the San Diego Dragon Boat team.  A lapse in overall timing contributed to a disappointing fifth place finish in the quarterfinals.  After a night’s rest, the team came back strong to take first place in the Recreational Division A semi-final.  Finally, with a long, slow stroke rate set in everyone’s mind, Lightwave pulled together for an amazing first place finish, just 0.44s ahead of Dragon Hearts Beat.

In the gender and specialty races, Lightwave Mens learned a new technique to try from their cooperation with the River City Dragons (Winnipeg, Canada); Team Moochy fostered an even stronger bond of friendship between the women of Lightwave and friendly rival DieselFish; and the Masters continued to show the junior paddlers how it’s done.

With an abundance of paddlers on the Lightwave race roster, some of the paddlers were given paddling time with other teams.  Nevertheless, they are still members of the medal-winning Lightwave family!  Thanks for the dedication and determination they show to Lightwave.

Races are over, but practices are not!  Keep coming to Sunday practices to keep up with your paddling or give steering or drumming a try.  And now is a good time to bring your friends along; we can always use a second boat next season!

Stay tuned for more practices and more social activities to come.  This post was made possible by the letters G, O, L, D, with additional support from the exclamation points,  !, !!, and !!!.