Philippine paddlers sustain romp with fourth gold

Photo by John Bedaure

TAMPA BAY, Florida—With a more urgent beat of the drum, the Cobra Philippine Dragon Boat team sustained its overpowering show with another victory in the 10th International World Championship here Saturday.

The Cobra-PDBF paddlers captured their fourth gold medal after ruling the small boat 500-meter premier mixed final, sparking a fiesta-like celebration among members of the large Filipino-American community who lined the banks of the Seddon Channel in groups.

“It was truly like a fiesta here,” said Michelle Evio, a PDBF mainstay. “There was a lot of happy cheering and eating because our Filipino supporters keep bringing us food in pots and pans.”

The Filipinos earlier captured the gold in the men’s 1,000m on Thursday and added two more in the premier mixed 200m and premier men’s 200m Friday.

They also picked up silvers in the premier all-comers mixed 200m and premier all-comers Open 200m.

“We are very inspired and I think the Filipino crowd here are also delighted by our performance,” added Evio, who said some of their countrymen even pledged monetary support.

Through heat, thunderstorms
The races were held through stifling heat and thunderstorms which Tampa Bay is known for. Tampa in native American language means “sticks of fire” due to the frequent lightning strikes in the bay that flows in front of the gleaming downtown all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico.

The Cobra-PDBF paddlers clocked two minutes, 36.119 seconds in claiming their fourth gold, beating Trinidad and Tobago, which finished in 2:38.809, and Hungary (2:39.635). Puerto Rico placed fourth in 2:43.497.

“We are also very pleased that though we failed to defend our title in the standard category (men’s and mixed 200m), our clockings in the small boat will be the record to beat,” said PDBF president Marcia Cristobal.

25-man crew
The team only managed to put up a 25-man crew for the 10th Worlds, which is holding competitions for small boats for the first time. Small boat crews consist of 10 pairs plus the drummer and steerer.

The standard event has 24 pairs plus a drummer and steersman.

Filipino fans made sure the Cobra PDBF paddlers remain in a fighting mood by bringing in native foods like adobo at the competition area.

“Sometimes we would catch the attention of the security personnel because of our celebration and the many foods,” said Evio. “Other paddlers from the United States and Canada sometimes ate with us.”