Dragon boaters heat up Welland’s canal
Dragon boats brought the recreational canal to life at Welland International Flatwater Centre during the weekend.
About 2,800 athletes filled Welland during the two-day Canadian Dragon Boat Championships Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Dragon Boat Canada executive director Chloe Greenhalgh said the races bring about 4,300 people to the region.
Greenhalgh said people usually come for about five nights. They try to stay in Welland, but hotels fill up fast, so people sometimes stay as far away as Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Due to the sheer number of people staying in Niagara, Greenhalgh said Niagara College opens up its residence at the Welland campus and NOTL campus. She said the athletes enjoy staying in the residences because they have access to kitchens.
She said they also visit restaurants and other businesses in the region.
Welland mayor Frank Campion said it’s always difficult to measure the economic impact, but said dragon boat races do have a positive effect on the city.
“Having the event does boost the economy and there is a spinoff,” he said in a phone interview Saturday.
About 150 crews competed in 200-, 500- and 2,000-metre races. The youngest athlete was 10 and the oldest was 89.
This weekend served as a qualifier for the Club Crew World Championships taking place in Szeged, Hungary, in July 2018.