Barry Wright
A Camlachie-area teen is heading to the International Dragon Boat Federation World Championships this summer, and hoping to replicate the success of her older sister.
Paige General, 17, has been named to Canada's national junior team competing at the world event at the International Flatwater Centre in Welland, Ont. in late August.
Her sister Brooke, three years her senior, won the title with Team Canada in Hungary in 2013.
“They won it so I think we have to win it too,” said Paige, who added watching her sister compete gave her the itch to try the sport.
“She got me into it. I was there watching her and thought it was pretty cool,” said Paige, who is entering her final year of high school at North Lambton in Forest.
“I started when I was in Grade eight.”
The younger General sisters was chosen to the 22-person national team after a series of training camps that culminated at the final selection camp in Toronto in May.
Other members on the team are from Stratford, Parry Sound and York Region in Ontario and from Vancouver and Pemberton in B.C.
The goal is to win the overall title, said General, noting she and her teammates should be familiar with the venue. The recent Canadian Championships were held there in late June and the Pan-American Dragon Boat Championships will be contested at the same location in Welland a week before the global competition.
Canada and China are considered favourites to win the overall team title. However, the U.S., Australia and Germany are among the other nations making their mark in the sport.
General said when not competing on the water she’s be looking forward to rubbing shoulders with competitors from around the world.
“I love meeting new people,” she said. “It's always fun.”