EVENT Details

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Pricing
Location
Schedule
Awards
Entertainment
Vendors
Parking
Volunteer
Pricing

PRICING

 Category

# of Races

Before Jan 1

Before April 1

Before May 1

After May 1

 Mixed / Women's / Open / ACP / BCP / Paradragons

 (w/o Practice, 4 x 500m)

4

$1,445

$1,545

 $1,645

 $1,845

 Mixed / Women's / Open / ACP / BCP / Paradragons

 (w/1 Practice, 4 x 500m)

4

$1,495

$1,595

 $1,695

 $1,895

 Mixed / Women's / Open / ACP / BCP / Paradragons (Out-of-Town)*

 (4 x 500m)

4

$1,295

 $1,495

 Combination Unisex Team**

 (w/o Practice, 4 x 500m)

4

 $845

 $995

 Additional Practice Session

 (coach not provided)

 $75

Practice Session Coach/Steersperson

  $75

Race Weekend Coach
(Please note, event day steerspeople will be provided at no additional cost.  This option is for teams looking to have a dedicated coach/steers throughout race weekend.)

  $120/day

Prices are in CAD and do not include applicable tax (13% HST).
Payment Methods: We accept Visa, MasterCard, Cheque or e-Transfer.
Paying by cheque or e-transfer: You will receive a discount of $25 CAD. This discount will be automatically applied during the registration process. e-Transfers are only available for Canadian events and residents.

 

*Applies to teams at least 100km outside of Toronto.  Please contact us before registering)

**Teams must consist of at least 90% of paddlers participating in a primary team. To get this rate, please call the GWN Office: 416-962-8899

For more information (i.e. refund policy, multi-event discount, etc), please visit our FAQ page.

To ensure races run smoothly, smaller divisions may be combined in heats, but will race independently of each other. 

Bonus 200m Races
The top 60 Mixed, 12 Women's, 12 Open, and 12 Special Interest (BCP, ACP, PD) crews will compete in a 200m race on Sunday. The 2x500m races on Saturday will seed crews into the 200m race on Sunday.

Industry Cup Races

The first qualifying 500m race will qualify eligible crews into an Industry Cup (top 6 crews) on Saturday. To qualify for a cup race, at least 70% of the crew must be part of the same company or industry. 

DBC Race Series Event
We are pleased to announce we have been selected to be a Race Series Event in 2022.  DBC teams attending the GWN Dragon Boat Challenge will not only build eligibility for Club Crew Championships but will also earn points for each Race Series Event to be reflected on DBC's Leaderboard.

download (1)

 

Registration Add-Ons
Each team registered at the festival will get a 20 x 20 team site (footprint, not tent rental) within the Athletes' Village. Teams have the option to bring their own tent or rent one from GWN. In addition to tents, chairs and tables are also available. For more information, please refer to the Athlete's Village tab below. Teams may also order practice sessions, coaching, and race weekend coaches.  

 

Location

LOCATION

Address:  The event will take place in Marilyn Bell Park, located at 1095 Lakeshore Blvd West in Toronto, just south of Exhibition Place and east of Jameson Avenue. The closest intersection is Lake Shore Blvd West and British Columbia Drive.

Site Map: The 2023 event site map will be posted 1 week prior to the event.

Directions:

From the West: Exit the Gardiner Expressway at Jameson Avenue and follow Lakeshore Blvd Eastbound to Marilyn Bell Park

From the East: Exit the Gardiner Expressway at Dunn Avenue. Stay right for Jameson Avenue. Make a sharp left onto Jameson Avenue and merge on to Lake Shore Blvd. Marilyn Bell Park is on your right. Alternatively, you can take King Street westbound to Jameson Avenue. Turn left onto Jameson Avenue and then turn left to merge onto Lake Shore Blvd.

Park Rules: We're committed to creating a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable experience for participants and spectators. Before heading out to the races, there are some things you should know:

Pets are welcome at Marilyn Bell Park but should be leashed at all times. No BBQ grills and/or cooking devices are allowed on park grounds. No bottled water will be sold or distributed under the Bottled Water Ban at Marilyn Bell Park.

Teams are responsible for picking up their waste within their team sites.  Teams will receive waste bags during check-in and there will be waste bins located throughout the Athletes' Village.  Let's all work together to keep Marilyn Bell Park clean and green.

Medical Services: Medical services and first aid will be available on site. If you're in need of medical attention, please report to the medical tent for immediate assistance. Toronto Police officers will also be on-site patrolling the grounds.

Schedule

SCHEDULE

The race schedule will be posted on Monday September 4th.

Live Results

Get live race results and progressions on race day using your phone. Visit www.gwnresults.com.

Schedule Advancement

500m Races: For all crews, Saturday will consist of 2 x 500m time trials. These two races will seed teams into a 500m Semi-Final. The Semi-Final will seed teams into a 500m Final. Semi-Finals and Finals are held on Sunday.

200m Races: The qualifying 500m races on Saturday will seed crews into the 200m Final on Sunday. Only the top 60 Mixed, 12 Women, 12 Open, and 12 Special Interest (BCP, ACP, Paradragons) teams will qualify.

Industry Cups:  The first qualifying 500m race will qualify eligible crews into an Industry Cup (top 6 crews). To qualify for a Cup race, at least 70% of the crew must be part of the same company or industry.

Race Marshaling
Marshaling for races will begin promptly half an hour before the first race of the day. Teams must be in the Marshalling area 30 minutes before their scheduled race throughout the day.

Race Day Check-In

Every Team Captain must check-in their team at Race Headquarters on race day. Registration will be open at 7:00AM. All waivers must be completed prior to check-in. Please visit the FAQ section for more information on how to check in on race day.

For a speedy check-in, ensure that all waivers for your team are completed. The electronic waiver deadline is 11:59AM EST on Wednesday, September 6th. Online access to waivers will be restricted after the deadline, after which only paper copies will be accepted on Saturday morning.

Team Captain's Meeting
There will be a Team Captain's meeting on Saturday morning, 1 hour before the first race at the Main Stage in the Beer Garden to discuss race day rules and address any questions.

Awards

AWARDS

Industry Cup Races: First-place teams will receive a trophy and gold medals.
Grand Finals: Third and second-place teams will receive bronze and silver medals, respectively. First-place teams will receive a trophy and gold medals.
Consolation Finals: 
First-place teams will receive a trophy and gold medals.
200m Finals:
 The first-place team in each Grand and Consolation final will receive a medal.

Awards Ceremonies
Ceremonies will take place after each Industry Cup, Consolation Race, and Grand Final Race. Volunteers will gather the gold medal-winning team as they come off the water.  They will be escorted directly to the stage in the Beer Garden. Bronze and silver medal-winning teams will receive their medals in the dock area.

Entertainment

ENTERTAINMENT

The Main Stage:  

Saturday, Sept. 9th:

To Be Announced

Sunday, Sept. 10th:

To Be Announced

Family Fun Zone

Bounce castle + bounce arena with slide, basketball net, and climbing wall.

Vendors

VENDORS

Interested in being a vendor? Email us at info@gwnevents.com to find out more.


 

Parking

PARKING

There is no parking allowed on Marilyn Bell Park property and all unauthorized vehicles will be towed. Parking is available at Lot 6 near the CNE Grounds, Exhibition Place. Overflow parking will be available at Lot 4 and then near the bandshell, once Lot 6 is full.

Directions to Lot 6, Exhibition Place

From the East (Gardiner Westbound)
Exit at Dunn Avenue
Turn left on Jameson Avenue
Turn left onto Lake Shore Blvd (heading eastbound)
Stay in the farthest lane, turn slight left onto British Columbia Drive
Turn left into Parking Lot 6

From the West (Gardiner Eastbound)
Exit at Lake Shore Blvd West
Stay in the furthest left lane, turn slight left onto British Columbia Drive
Turn left into Parking Lot 6

Volunteer

VOLUNTEER

Looking to have some fun on the docks? GWN is always looking for fantastic volunteers.

As a volunteer, you'll have the opportunity to be a part of the exciting and fast-paced action that is dragon boat racing. You'll also get to experience the energy and excitement of the festival event atmosphere and be a part of a vibrant community of dragon boat enthusiasts. Volunteers will be needed to help with various tasks in ensuring the safety and smooth operations of the event through the various outlined tasks:

  • Boat Marshalls: Will be on the dock assisting paddlers with getting in and out of the boats. This position should be filled by people who are comfortable around the water.
  • Results Runners: Will be posting the results from the Timing Officials at the Registration Headquarters. This position requires neat handwriting.
  • Team Marshalls: Will assist the Marshalling Manager in ensuring that all teams are ready to load into boats at the correct time to maintain smooth running of the races.
  • Crowd Control: Will ensure one-way flow traffic from the Marshalling Area after boats are unloaded.

If you would like to volunteer, we can promise some food, drinks, a really cool shirt, and community service hours (if applicable) so please complete this Volunteer Form to join our team! To get more info or ask any questions, feel free to send us an email at volunteers@gwnevents.com.

Additional Information

Accommodations
Travel
Athletes Village
Practices
Participant Checklist

Event Map

GWNC venue map non interactive

charitable partner

Charity-Tim Hortons Foundation

We are pleased to announce the Tim Hortons GWN Dragon Boat Challenge is in support of Tim Hortons Foundation Camps.  

Tim Hortons Foundation Camps is committed to helping youth from underserved communities achieve their full potential. Tims Camps equip young people from low-income families with the skills they need to design their future.

Thanks to our vast network of supporters including corporate sponsors, community partners, donors, Tim Hortons restaurant owners, managers, team members, and guests, we help youth gain the skills they need to pursue their education, contribute to their communities, find meaningful jobs, and lead fulfilling lives.

Multi-day, overnight camp experiences are uniquely powerful in quickly building strengths and critical skills in youth. Strengthening social ties and community connections can help youth develop protective factors to better cope with challenging circumstances.

Whether at camp or back home in their communities between visits – our youth work to build social and emotional skills to become civically and academically engaged, and successfully transition to adulthood.

partners