It’s become an annual tradition for dragon boat racers in Edmonton: the Pink Ribbon Challenge Race.
The event hosted by the Edmonton Breast Friends Dragon Boat Racing Team challenges visiting and local breast cancer survivors to a race down the North Saskatchewan River while raising awareness for the disease.
“It’s very powerful because it reminds us that even though we’re all breast cancer survivors it means that our life hasn’t ended,” Rashida Hamir said.
Harmir has participated in the race for the past four years and is also a breast cancer survivor.
“We still have a very normal life and we can do everything that everybody else does and it’s even to remind other people that there is hope and awareness and hopefully they don’t feel like it’s the end of life when they get a diagnosis of breast cancer,” she said.
The group Hamir is a part of tries to participate in races several times a year. This year that list includes races in Kelowna, Lethbridge, Calgary and Penticton.
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Training begins in February and carries through to the fall.
“We do it as a group because it empowers us, inspires us, and reminds us that there is hope after breast cancer”
WATCH: Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival returns to North Saskatchewan River
The Pink Ribbon Challenge races coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Dragon Boat Festival in Edmonton.
Several special events were held throughout the weekend celebrating its history, including a race for ‘old dragons’ or those who’ve been involved for more than 10 years.
Dragon Boat Festival Association president Cheryl Zarski says the races have survived because of the strength of the community.
“I’m actually quite surprised that we’ve been around for so long and that we’ve been such a good community,” she said.
Thirty-two teams registered this year.
The festival has seen the largest number of novice teams in the past two years.
“I think anybody can do dragon boating. (That) is what attracts people to the sport, whether your handicapped or visually impaired,” Zarski added.
“It’s such a sense of team – what it teaches is that 20 people can get together and do something as amazing as move a dragon boat down the river.”
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