“Paddle, are you ready? Attention… Go!”
The drummer cleared her throat, and the Richmond paddlers kicked into full power.
The dragon boat streaked along False Creek with brackish water splashing on the Richmond News’ on-board camera.
New Richmondites Tom Chan, Rick Chan and Karen Law – all ex-pats from Hong Kong - will race for the award-winning “Hongkongers” team in the Mixed Recreation Division 500m on Saturday morning at the 35th annual Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival Race in Vancouver.
They came to live here through a special immigration pathway for Hongkongers during the rapid socio-political change in the region from 2021 to 2022.
Richmond feels like home
“Richmond looks like Hong Kong in the 1980s to the ‘90s when I grew up. The malls are so familiar to me,” said Tom, the “steer” of the team, who’s working as an office admin for now but is eager to stretch his massage skills in the city.
“I could develop my career here in Canada, but not in Hong Kong.” Tom and Karen are both practiced in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and, during weekends, they share the skills of massage and acupuncture.
Karen’s plan is to transfer her TCM license obtained in Hong Kong and serve the community after she completed the work-hour requirement to obtain permanent residency.
Rick, however, is more straightforward, “I just don’t like Hong Kong now.”
Building a new social circle
The “Hongkongers” team was formed last June and won a gold medal at Level D in the prestigious 200M Oddball Fall Classic.
United for “strength, spirit, and sportsmanship”, the team attracted Hongkongers who migrated to Metro Vancouver and expanded to two teams this year.
“My friend was the founding member and recruited me into the team. I never raced a dragon boat back in Hong Kong,” said Karen.
“It was a casual ride, but we snatched the medal. My initial plan was just to meet new friends in Vancouver.
“I am keen on sports and want to work out with fellow Hongkongers.”
The team just won silver at mixed Division D and Division G of the Vessi 500 Championship in June, and bronze in Mixed Division C at the Burnwater Spring Sprint.
“The morale is high and I’m confident to stand out in the race with our teammates.”
