Coach sings praises as Stratford paddlers return with bronze, silver and gold from Germany

Team Canada dragon boaters Everett Weaver, Daniel McArthur, Daniel Bean, Devin Keane, Alexandra Stephens, Avery DeWitt, Grace VanZandwijk and Laynee McIlwain return from the world championships with some impressive hardware. They collectively won 33 medals for the country.

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Over seven days of racing in Germany, Stratford youth showed the world what dragon boat racing means to the Festival City.

Eight local junior boat paddlers helped Team Canada win a combined 33 medals at the World Dragon Boat Championships in Brandenburg, Germany on July 14-20. Local coach Ken Gene sang their praises, highlighting both their dedication and skill, as well as the national team’s dominant performances.

“Collectively, Canada dominated on the medal end,” Gene told the Times. “We did pretty good on the junior end. The U.S. team was pretty strong on a few of the divisions. The U18 women did very well, that’s where the gold medals came from, and Alexandra Stephens was part of the U18 cruise that got the gold.”

As Gene said, Alexandra Stephens brought home seven medals, including two golds, as a member of the U18 women’s team, as well as five silvers with the U18 women’s and mixed squads.

Laynee McIllwain collected a total of six silver and bronze medals on U16 women’s and mixed boats. Avery DeWitt and Grace VanZandwijk were both members of the U16 women’s and mixed teams, with DeWitt paddling and VanZandwijk drumming, which brought home one silver and four bronze medals.

In the U18 men’s bracket, Daniel Bean earned four silver medals. Devin Keane won three silvers with the U16 mixed small boat team. Daniel McArthur helped the U16 mixed small boat team to two silver medals, while Everett Weaver also captured a silver with the U16 mixed small boat group.

“Everyone came back pretty happy,” Gene explained. “Pretty tired coming back, they took a week off. And we’re back racing again in Woodstock this weekend.”

As Gene explained, eight Stratford paddlers tried out to be on Team Canada this year and all eight made the team. It is indicative of Stratford’s ongoing legacy when it comes to dragon boat racing excellence.

“Dragon boat has been in town since 1996. Our club system has been around for quite awhile,” Gene said. “… This area has been a hotbed for paddling and dragon boat for awhile. I believe, with these athletes going to worlds, I've had 34 national team paddlers come from my club. It's strong in town.”

Youth weren’t the only Stratforders representing Canada in Germany. Grant Borysiuk captured an impressive haul of hardware as well, competing with the Canadian national team for the second time. He was a member of the senior ‘A’ boat and won three gold medals in the 500-metre small boat mixed, 2,000-metre open, and 2,000-metre mixed events. Borysiuk also earned silver medals in the 200-metre open, 200-metre small boat mixed, 500-metre open, 1,000-metre open, and 1,000-metre mixed boats. Borysiuk is a member of the Thames River Paddling Club.

With files from Spencer Seymour, Times Regional Reporter.