The inaugural Public Education dragonboat team.

Dragonboaters make a splash for public education

The Chinese New Year of the Rat was celebrated with the debut of the Public Education dragonboat team on February 17.

Sponsored by Federation, the team paddled in brilliant yellow with Federation hats, watched by thousands of spectators at Darling Harbour.

The idea was conceived by team manager and Federation deputy librarian Fairlie Stanish as an offshoot of the Paddlers for Public Education Hawkesbury Classic kayakers.

Dragonboat teams consist of 20 paddlers, a sweep (steering person) and a drummer to beat the time. The team had two practices on Blackwattle Bay to get their paddling technique established under the professional coaching eye of Carol Fentoullis (Matraville Sports High School).

Everyone was surprised at the speed of the paddling and the hard effort necessary to get the boat moving as fast as possible. The dragonboaters quickly developed a great team spirit helped along by well-earned, after-practice refreshments.

At Darling Harbour the team raced three times and gave great competition to some very young, fit crews, while each team member shared the real thrill of racing over 240 metres - a distance known as "splash and dash".

During the day, the team was approached by many enthusiastic public education supporters some of whom wanted to join immediately.

One team member said: "It was more than fun - it was a total experience!"

The team includes: Angela Finnigan, Belinda Rogers (Kingsgrove North HS), Ben Ballard (Bungendore PS), Bruce Knobloch (Ultimo TAFE), Carol Fentoulis (Matraville Sports HS), Charline Emzin-Boyd (Federation Aboriginal Education Coordinator), Craig Holmes (Granville Boys HS), Di Millgate (retired teacher) Fairlie Stanish (Federation deputy librarian), Geoff Turnbull (Randwick TAFE), Graeme Wiffen, Hope Earl (Ultimo TAFE), Hunter Ashton (Chatswood Intensive English Centre), Joan Cumming (The Beach School), John Morris (Sir Joseph Banks HS), Lawrence Brayne (Mt Druitt TAFE), Lindy Chester (Balgowlah Heights PS), Louise Gerondis (Matraville Sports HS), Malcolm Wagg (South Sydney HS), Margaret Davis (Rowland Hassall School), Margo-Lynne Lee, and Mark Goudkamp (Kingsgrove HS).

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March 2008 contents