The Sidelaunchers are the CDBCC's competitive dragon boat team. One-hour, on-water practices are held from late April through September, mornings and evenings, up to three times per week. Paddles and lifejackets are supplied.

Although we are a competitive team, we emphasize good sportsmanship and participation. New members to this crew are always welcome; no experience is necessary. In fact, this is a great opportunity for athletic, outdoor, healthy people with little or no paddling experience to be part of Collingwood's waterfront heritage. You can expect to have fun and to work hard at practice.

You may be surprised at how your other fitness activities complement your paddling experience. Practices consist of dynamic warmup, technical focus pieces, cardio and interval work. There is also video review of practices, so people can get feedback.

Sitting in the boat at the start line is so exciting! So is crossing the finish line knowing you have done your best to contribute to the team. There is nothing quite like it, except maybe the beer garden after the races are over...

The coaches for this crew, Anne Baker and Chris Linton, are paddlers with international experience.

This year's fee for the competitive team is $285.

Interested paddlers should contact us at info@collingwooddragonboats.ca or call 705-444-0549, or contact Anne Baker at 705-441-2258.

The Collingwood Dragon Boat & Canoe Club is supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation