WHAT A RUSH!!!!!
It truly was a special experience for ALL of Rowbust!
Each team competing in the IDBF CCWC was represented in the Opening Ceremonies on the water and in parade.
Because Canada has the most teams entered in the event one paddler from each crew loaded a boat to paddle in the ceremony. We sent our Crew Captain, Linda Kuska, to represent Rowbust in that boat. As always Linda did us proud and it will be some time before she stops smiliing. Other countries who had fewer teams filled their boats with as many of their teams as they could, some were half and half, some were full teams. These boats paddled around in a large circuit in front of the grand stand while the parade of athletes were presented on land.
On land each team was represented by two flag bearers in the Athletes Parade....that is all teams but Rowbust! Every member of our team walked the parade! Oops! We broke the rules! And we'd do it again! Our flag bearers were Ginny Cable and Gail Hathaway leading the pack for all of Canada!
It helps that our friend Rose (of the Pendragons) is volunteering at the event and was handing out the country signs. She walked the Canada sign right over to Ginny and Gail. ;).
As the Canadian teams paraded across the grounds with Ginny and Gail proudly leading the pack in front of the grand stand, Linda and the Canadian boat paddled along side in their circuit. There was cheering and laughing and tears of joy all around. Groups of people who had never met taking selflies together, chatting and learning about each other as the other countries paraded in until we were a large mass of people in between the grand stand and the waters edge. And then the official welcoming and dotting of the eye portion of the ceremony began. We could not see it well from our place in the crowd but it can be viewed on the live stream records....and as soon as I am able to find it I will post that link!
Suffice it to say it was an unforgettable night for us!
It truly was a special experience for ALL of Rowbust!
Each team competing in the IDBF CCWC was represented in the Opening Ceremonies on the water and in parade.
Because Canada has the most teams entered in the event one paddler from each crew loaded a boat to paddle in the ceremony. We sent our Crew Captain, Linda Kuska, to represent Rowbust in that boat. As always Linda did us proud and it will be some time before she stops smiliing. Other countries who had fewer teams filled their boats with as many of their teams as they could, some were half and half, some were full teams. These boats paddled around in a large circuit in front of the grand stand while the parade of athletes were presented on land.
On land each team was represented by two flag bearers in the Athletes Parade....that is all teams but Rowbust! Every member of our team walked the parade! Oops! We broke the rules! And we'd do it again! Our flag bearers were Ginny Cable and Gail Hathaway leading the pack for all of Canada!
It helps that our friend Rose (of the Pendragons) is volunteering at the event and was handing out the country signs. She walked the Canada sign right over to Ginny and Gail. ;).
As the Canadian teams paraded across the grounds with Ginny and Gail proudly leading the pack in front of the grand stand, Linda and the Canadian boat paddled along side in their circuit. There was cheering and laughing and tears of joy all around. Groups of people who had never met taking selflies together, chatting and learning about each other as the other countries paraded in until we were a large mass of people in between the grand stand and the waters edge. And then the official welcoming and dotting of the eye portion of the ceremony began. We could not see it well from our place in the crowd but it can be viewed on the live stream records....and as soon as I am able to find it I will post that link!
Suffice it to say it was an unforgettable night for us!