Annual Rotary Dragon Boat Race

Thanks go once more to the generosity of the Birmingham Business School for sponsoring a crew and boat for the Annual Rotary Dragon Boat Racing event on 10 June.

Expressions such as gnat’s whisker and hair’s breadth, or even a dragon’s spine (the spike on a dragon’s neck – who knew eh??!!!) took on so much more meaning that day at Edgbaston Reservoir when, for the third year running, the honor of Birmingham Business School was at stake via the paddles in the hands of the Real Dragon’s Den team….& did we disappoint? No we did NOT! It was a VERY close run thing…see photo finish below….i.e. 2/100ths of a second separated the losers from us… we were in Boat 3 sporting our fluorescent ‘I’m paddling for Birmingham Business School’ t shirts leaving NO doubts as to who we were…..

The Real Dragon’s Den, captained once more by Dr. David Houghton, paddled as though our very lives depended on the outcome; P60s threatened if we allowed the two teams from Edgbaston High School to win this ‘minor’ final. We knew for a fact that at least one member of their team included an Olympian high jumper, another member sported an Oxford blouson; we daren’t ask if he’d ever been in their infamous inter-varsity boat team – we just stuck our heads down, plunged our hands gripping those paddles into the murky waters of the reservoir, shouting “EIN!! ZWEI!!” (our attempt to intimidate the opposition) and set out to defend the reputation of Birmingham Business School and the University.  Sonny Butcher (son of Mat) kept us paddling as one to the rhythm of his drum. What mettle we displayed…never mind dragons, we were lions! 

We’re already talking tactics for 2018!