Hoodies, gold medals, and the BFC!

To further our international reputation Gang Green took another trip up north. This time to Victoria BC. This race doesn’t have a women’s division and pits all teams against each other. But it does have one race for the top 5 fastest women’s teams and the winner of that race gets the B.F.C. that has been in our clubhouse of the last year with another team’s name on it. Needless to say. We wanted it to come home with our name this year. We wanted it BAD!

Violet got to take her first ferry ride and I got to stay in my first hostel. Victoria is a magical place and we were excited to be there.

We got up early to our first race and some said we should have stayed in bed. For a myriad of reasons we actually went off course. Perpendicular. Our tiller actually had to call for us to stop so we could correct and then resume. It was our first actually horrible race we’d had all season. It was important that we recover and do VERY well in the next race. Which we did. It was the best of times (fastest women’s time of the day) it was the worst of times (our first race had been the slowest time of the day) but we qualified for the women’s race which was then postponed until Sunday due to technical issues. Sigh.

We did our best to put it behind us and race well on Sunday. We ended up in the Pearl division based on our cumulative time which was disappointing but also meant we HAD to win it. Even up against mixed teams we qualified for the final. But we had very little turn around time before we had to go race for the BIG FREAKING CUP.

Did we win? By a second over another very worthy Portland team. Were we satisfied? Never.

Next was the Pearl division final against 4 other teams, all mixed. Another narrow victory but a victory nonetheless and our first gold medal of the season. We don’t need no stinking men!

So it isn’t the Stanley cup but we love it. Beer was consumed…from the cup. The electric slide was performed. Reveling ensued.

The next day the weather turned nasty so much of the team, the more optimistic packers, all went to the souvenir stores to procure hoodies. Gold medals were worn on the way home and used as our explanation to customs officials. “Reason for your visit?” “We had to come pick these up”.

Two more races this season. If you are in Portland come to the waterfront Sept 6-7 and the Bay Area folks should come out to Treasure Island Oct 4-5!