96-year-old enjoys maiden dragon boat voyage

"I did all the work, I think."

Those were the words from Dorothy Wilson after her first dragon boating experience.

The 96-year-old got straight into action on her maiden voyage with the Boobops Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Team yesterday, in Tauranga Harbour.

Situated in the middle of the boat, she grabbed a paddle as soon as she was in the boat and started paddling along with the team and kept up with them in the short boat ride across the flat glassy harbour.

"It was just lovely. I got in and out very gracefully."

Mrs Wilson said she had done some rowing when she was part of the cycle club in her earlier days, but never had the pleasure of being in a dragon boat.

She said the next time she got the opportunity to take part in a paddle she would be seated up the front, beating the drum to keep the other paddlers in time.

The Boobops Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Team was formed in 2003 by a group of breast cancer survivors. Boobop's main focus was to promote wellness, fitness, fun and camaraderie for breast cancer survivors. Mrs Wilson herself has survived breast cancer four times, bowel cancer once and had a double mastectomy at age 94.

On November 19 this year the Boobops Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Team will host a fundraising dinner with speaker Kerre McIvor to raise money to head to the World Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Championships in Florence Italy.

- To get in contact with the Boobops, go to www.sportsground/boopbops.co.nz.