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Sydney turned on some fine weather for 2024’s Lunar New Year Dragon Boat Festival, at Darling Harbour., but that is not this story. Mako represented with the largest numbers ever at their 3rd Lunar Festival, but that is not this story. The results were incredible and unexpected with Mako pulling a staggering Top Ten status across the board. But that is not this story. What follows is a tale of friendship, camaraderie, and a little regional club full of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. From the mouth of Captain Angie our Roving Reporter and self-confessed “Spazelle”
Saturday
As the sun rose over the concrete jungle surrounding Cockle Bay the Mako crew gathered and greeted, lathered themselves with sunscreen, loaded up on up and go’s and caffeine, took in the atmosphere and eyed the competition and line up.
Lunar Rookies Jess, Paul, Bill, Billy, Wendy, Snez, Mel, Garry, Tim, Georgia (virtually), Nic and Vinh had nervous expressions and wide eyes hearing of the biggest line up in our years of racing at Lunar and a record 62 clubs competing. Resident crack-up Jacs’ description “Its off its tits!” did little to calm the nerves
Needless to say we were pumped, brimming with anticipation, excitement and energy, and ready to broil with the best in the state and across the country.
So What Happened?
This year saw Annie, Sal and Angs’ Lunar sweeping debut. With BUK boats, sweep oars that were not cooperating, no lane ropes, no finish line to be seen, 200m of water and a hard stop before crashing into a wall, both had their challenges (not in Kansas anymore realisations) in the first heat but pulled themselves together to steer their crews to ripper runs in the finals.
Mako Havoc was a mixed boat boat full of debutants! Not only did Annie debut on the stick (and nail it like the boss that she is) but the Elizabeth Brown/ Daz Watkins dazzling stroking duo and Lunar debutants Nicole, Wendy, Jess, Paul, Billy, Bill, Tim, Kerry, Mel & Gaz, Snez & Vin paddled themselves some new blisters into their minor final. They pulled 3 boatlengths and a frenzying 10 seconds off their time to finish 3rd in their final. Wow.
Mako Mayhem was our second Mixed Boat and fought, kicked and scratched through the progressions against 62 clubs, pulled off the performance of the century to snag a place in the Minor Final against some of the biggest heavy hitters in the game.
Hel-lo Ladies
By this stage Annie was all over it and bored of this sweeping gig. As the heat rose on and off the water, she took her crew of 20 chicks to scratch and claw through 39 clubs and carve out a place in the Minor Final – whoa did that just happen? The Amazonian Mako had the race of their lives, and to the cheer of the crowds from shore pulled a 3rd place in the final. Beautiful to race. Beautiful to watch.
Mako Men Hit Beast Mode
Next up was our – the blokes boat with only 18 paddlers including 5 chicks (sorry 6, with Mamma Chick up the back). First heat went well. Second heat……Far out lads we flew. And like Mako does time and time again, we fought into the Minor Final, had the race of our lives and came in 2nd.
It was great to be joined by our Mako family members that we don’t get to see that often, Miho, Trinity, Shannon, Kez, Robbie, Jano, Daz and Bryn. You guys are awesome knuckleheads and part of our Mako fam. Some of us may have celebrated into the night , because we don’t get out that often…and well, we could.
Results? Mako have officially hit the Top Ten.
62 Clubs entered Thunderdome to fight it out in Premier category.
1 little regional club from down the coast full of Seniors Bs and Cs went to battle.
Men, Women and Mixed = hit the Top Ten.
Sunday
The sun came up hot and steamy again, and racing was onnnnnn.
This time Mako Mayhem were ably swept by Mama Casey who had to squeeze herself into son Aiden’s lifejacket. And what a cracking job she did. Entering into the knockout-style draw, Mako had to win their way through 24 clubs to try and progress as far through the comp as they could.
Coach and statistician Ryan did a remarkable job on the day configging, coaching, and even stroking the crew. Mako Mayhem pulled off some extraordinary racing to make the Semi-Final in super tough competition.
Hobo had a most hobohoriblis herniation of happenings and “hiyyaagh’d!”(aka miss piggy styled) his paddle. Thanks for helping in the semi Hobo.
Alas our Sunday warriors were out but raised eyebrows and earned the hearts of the crowds doing it.
Thanks
…of course go to many. To Ryan for Coaching the Mayhem gang on Sunday. To Captain Angie and Glasso for being on the go constantly throughout the day. To our beloved knucklehead gang of Mako family from further afield, and to the Caseys yet again for supplying infrastructure in the form of a Hobo family sink and table. To our super strokes Daz and Elizabeth debuting at Lunar, you rocked it. To Georgia who ubered across Sydney peak hour traffic to bring us a corkboard, To every single one of our Mako knucklehead gang for just well, being, you. And to DBNSW for an incredible new format and sizzling event.
Captain Angie
Spazelle
