2009 Corporate Dragon Boat Challenge

With 10 companies participating, at the water front of Docklands, on a beautiful 27 degrees day with the hot sun shaded by light clouds and a light cool breeze, it was a wonderful day to have a dragon boat race!

I have never participated in one... not that I actually took part to row this time around, but doing my thing with the camera. It was an amazing event for me personally and ironically because I originally come from Hong Kong where dragon boat race is a seasonal event! :P

It was a short course of about 2 minutes run, 20 rowers in the boat working with a drummer in front and a steerman at the back.

The team from NAB, called the NAB P&C Pirates, was 24 people strong, most if not all first timers who knew little about dragon boat. All they had was one training lesson on Monday, by the international dragon boat commentator, Jonathan Mayne (inset with our beautiful drummer, Kate), for an hour or so and then another hour just before the actual race 2 days later (Wednesday, 25 November 2009).

Last year, NAB came last in this race... Therefore, this year, everyone turned up not expecting much, with minds set on having a good time, and a good old Aussie attitude of, having a fair go.

To everybody's surprise, the Pirates came first in the first heat! And then again, NAB came first again in the second heat coming up with a combined time good enough to be in the final! Already on cloud 9, NAB didn't lose sight of the goal and saw a glimpse of the glory, it surprised everyone, perhaps apart from the trainer Jonathan Mayne (who told me he saw something special when he met the team), the Pirates once again produced an amazingly strong final performance and came out second, just 3.16s behind the race winner BECA, proudly taking out the second prize!

What a fantastic achievement! Well done!!

(Despite the petite size of our drummer, Kate, this girl can shout! I can only hear her from the other end of the pier as all the teams sped down the course.)

This fantastic result came albeit some very strong competitors in the race, namely BECA that trains regularly and competitively in this sport.

Here are a few frames of the 4 finalists crossing the finish line. You can just see the tail of BECA on the left side of the frame. Look at how close the 2nd, 3rd and 4th were! NAB Pirates on lane 3, KBR on lane 1 came aggreesively from behind towards the end to overtake Lend Lease on lane 4 and took out 3rd place leaving Lend Lease in 4th place.



Click here to find out more about Jonnathan Mayne. FYI, he has 38 Australian Championships under his belt todate and is the corporate event director of Dragon Boats Victoria. What an incredible man!

As I research for links and information about Jonathan Mayne, I found out Jonathan is a Christian. He attributed some of his success to his patient and encouraging attitude.

“I've been Australian champion many times, been to the Olympics, travelled the world, even got taken to a church service in an aeroplane once. Being a Christian is never boring. If you know deep in your heart that God loves you and you're forgiven, it brings with it a whole new world in that God loves you just as you are.”

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 37:23, "If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm"

Melbourne Spring Fashion Week (MSFW) 2008 - Girls Day Out

Decjuba Fashion Marquee at the Flemington Racecourse.

Managed to get a quick snap of Race 7 where jockey Michael Rodd took the winning spot. Congratulations.

It was my first time shooting at a race and my first time at the Flemington Racecourse so I didn't know what I was doing or where to go for a good shot (well I could have worked it out if I wasn't rushing to the next parade). This one was taken just outside the marqee... Checkout Mark Dadswell's much better pics here. Amazing job, Mark. This amateur got much to learn. :P

Everyone (models and guests alike) were all frogged up and looking great.

This girl below laughed so much I took several pics of her. Her laugh is contagious and lifts my spirit every time I look at her. I hope you feel the same too. Doh, I didn't get her name or number... Anyway, Thank you very much!




This is Amy Pearson from the UK performing. I killed rolls of film (not really because I shoot digital but you know what I mean) photographing her. Great hat/hatinator, dress, shoes, wonderful performance and very photogenic (aka pretty). She lives in Australia now according to wikipedia.

Go Amy!

Australian F1 Grand Prix

Just want to share with you a picture taken at the Australian Grand Prix on Friday, 14th March, 2008. Click on picture to view a bigger version. I love all those gravels in the air. I am sure this is a view not shared by the driver nor his team... Sorry for those dying to see pictures of pit girls. There were few on Friday at the general admission areas. Perhaps they were hidding in the corporate box with the rich and famous, enjoying air conditioning on what was a very hot 40 degress celsius day. I will post a pic I took at the Loreal Fashion Festival for your enjoyment. oops, did I say that? I mean for you professional comments.

Here is another one of my favorites. It is slightly cropped on the right to take out the post in the way...