Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival
| June 22, 2012 | to | June 24, 2012 |
The Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival is the largest festival of its kind in North America. It is a three-day event filled with free family entertainment taking place June 22-24, 2012 at Mooney’s Bay Park. Admission is FREE and features non-stop racing, a concert series, the Tim Hortons Children’s Area, cultural performances, local delicacies and fun shopping! It is a great family destination and easy getaway for visitors from Ontario, Quebec and the United States. In partnership with the Ottawa Dragon Boat Foundation, paddlers raise funds through the Pledge Challenge for local charities.
To join the Pledge Challenge, visit www.dragonboatfoundation.net. For event schedules, visit www.dragonboat.net. Like us www.facebook.com/ottawadragonboat and follow us www.twitter.com/ottdragonboat.
Event Highlights:
- Non-stop racing
- Concert series
- Beer garden
- Tim Hortons Children’s Area
- Cultural performances
- Local concessionaires
- Vendors
- Demonstrations
General information: 613.238.7711
General information email: info@dragonboat.net
Volunteer information email: www.dragonboat.net/volunteers
Location: Mooney’s Bay Park
On the Web:
Website: www.dragonboat.net/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=501153579961
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ottdragoboat
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ottdragonboatfoundation/
Map:
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ON THE RUN IN…Ottawa: Canada’s national capital of running
By Noel Paine, Canadian Running Magazine
In one 5K run in Ottawa, you can circle Canada’s Parliament, pass the famous Rideau Canal, the Royal Canadian Mint, the National Gallery and two museums before running over a wooden planked bridge that takes you into Quebec and back.
Read more: ON THE RUN IN…Ottawa
27 Years of Winterlude Triathlon in Ottawa
By Devashish Paul
www.xtri.com
2/2/2010
The Winterlude Triathlon is one of Canada’s oldest multisport events. This Saturday Feb 6, 2010, it goes into its 27th year in Canada’s Capital, Ottawa, Ontario. Typically, and I say typically, because mother nature works in weird ways, the event is held in the following format:
• 8K mass start speed skate event on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa
• T1 on the ice and change into XC skis, with a race distance of 5-6K depending on the year
• T2, back on the ice and then run 5K with 4K of it on ice, and 1k on a path beside the Rideau Canal
Typically the top competitors are done in around 1 hour, so if you want to put it into the context of summer triathlon, it is more like a sprint triathlon, but requiring a unique mix of winter sporting skills. It is traditionally the kick off event for both the Winterlude Festival in Ottawa, which is essentially a 2 week long excuse to party in the depth of winter with a variety of events centered around snow and ice around the historic Rideau Canal.
For those who have been here to race the Canadian Irondistance and half irondistance events in September, the Winterlude tri uses some of the same “geography” smack in the middle of town along the Canal that Colby built in the 1800’s so that the capital could be connected through waterways down to the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes system….now it is used largely by boaters during three seasons and skaters in the winter.
While you might think “what does an event like this have anything to do with triathlon in the ‘traditional sense,’” think twice. As you know, Canada is not just famous for producing hockey players, but we have a long history of producing Triathlon Olympic medalists and Kona champions. It is funny how a nation that is largely covered by snow and ice for 4-5 months can produce champions in the heat of Kona, Sydney or Beijing. Chalk it up to some of the mental tenacity that comes with growing up under some pretty harsh weather circumstances, where we learn from an early age that you can’t let bad days get in the way of training. Heat, cold, wind, snow, ice…in the mind you use the same psychology to work with nature to achieve personal victories.
So back to the Winterlude tri, while we get our swims in at the pool, battle nature during our runs and are confined to the trainer for any form of riding, many of us get ready for the next triathlon season with a mix of the above, complimented by XC skiing, snowshoeing and speed skating. The sports offer great compliment to our triathlon preparation and best of all, another “racing season” to beat ourselves up over.
I raced the Winterlude triathlon for several years and it is truly one of the most fun days of my year. Sure as heck beats the inevitable shuffle with the 800 lbs gorilla around 16 miles into an Ironman run.
I had the opportunity to catch up with Race Director Rick Hellard recently who aside from running this race is an accomplished athlete of his own right with an 8:41 Ironman PB and a former member of the Canadian Elite triathlon team. Rick also has a thriving coaching business (www.zone3sports.com) that has helped athletes from across the region achieve PB’s from first time Ironman finishes to overall IM victories.
To read Dev’s interview with Rick Hellard, click here.
Tim Hortons is the new title sponsor of the Ottawa Dragon Boat Race Festival
OTTAWA, February 2, 2010 – Ottawa area Tim Hortons Store Owners have signed on as the new title sponsor of the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival (ODBF), the largest Dragon Boat Festival in North America. This year’s Festival takes place at Mooney’s Bay, June 18 – 20, 2010.
“We are incredibly excited to be the title sponsor of the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival,” said Jennifer and David McBride, Tim Hortons Store Owners in Ottawa. “For the past three years we have partnered with the festival as a sponsor of both the children’s and team areas. We enjoy being a part of this extraordinary community event and feel the festival is a great fit with Tim Hortons.”
“It is a real honour to have Tim Hortons as our new title sponsor,” says John Brooman, Executive Director, ODBF. “Tim Hortons and the ODBF will be great partners as we have the shared community vision of putting on a family friendly festival that is free of charge to the Ottawa community. We are very excited to rename the festival the Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival.” The 17th annual Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival will take place on Mooney’s Bay on the weekend of June 18-20, 2010. 190 teams, 5,000 paddlers, and upwards of 70,000 attendees will enjoy a weekend of racing, entertainment and free family activities.
About Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival
The Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival is the largest Dragon Boat Festival in North America. It features both competitive and recreational racing, musical entertainment and a variety of vendors and family oriented activities. The Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival began in 1993 with assistance from the Hong Kong Canada Business Association and had 25 participating teams over a half-day event. Since then it has grown to a three-day sell-out with 190 teams and 5,000 paddlers, 70,000 spectators, a host of entertainers, exhibitors/vendors and a comprehensive silent auction tent. For more information visit www.dragonboat.net.
About Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons is the fourth largest publicly-traded quick service restaurant chain in North America based on market capitalization, and the largest in Canada. Tim Hortons appeals to a broad range of consumer tastes, with a menu that includes premium coffee, flavored cappuccinos, specialty teas, home-style soups, fresh sandwiches, donuts and fresh baked goods. As of June 28th, 2009, Tim Hortons had 3,475 system-wide restaurants, including 2,939 in Canada and 536 in the United States. More information about the Company is available at www.timhortons.com.
Contacts:
John Brooman
Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival Executive Director
613.238.7711 ext.225
jbrooman@dragonboat.net
Nadia MacDonald
Tim Hortons
Regional Marketing Manager of Eastern Ontario
613.435.3667
macdonald_nadia@timhortons.com
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