Another successful Rotary Dragon Boat Challenge!!

Saturday 12th July saw another successful Rotary Dragon Boat Challenge take place at Pugneys Country Park in Wakefield.

Organised by Chantry Rotary Club and Normanton Rotary Club this is the 16th time that a Dragon Boat Event has taken place at Pugneys. The first event took place in 2008 and with the exception of the 2 Covid years, has taken place every year since. The event has now raised over £600,000 for mainly local Charities in the greater Wakefield area.

This year 18 teams actually participated in glorious sunshine enjoying a wonderful day out at the Country Park. Circa 400 volunteers actually paddled on the day racing across the lake. Each team took part in 3 heats of 3 boats each heat. Overall, the fastest times decided who would take part in one of the 2 finals.

The first final was for teams with at least 50% female crew with 6 teams competing.
The result was a win for a team from Dane Royd PTA, the DR Dragons with a team from Jet2 Holidays, ApprenticeSHIP second, and a team from the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Charity, Team Critical Care third.

The main final for the fastest 6 boats on the day, was won in record time by a team called Stuarts Big Kiss, so named in honour of Stuart Wardell who was one of the people who started the whole event back in 2008. The main trophy for the event is known as the Stuart Wardell memorial trophy so it was fitting that Stuarts daughter, Amanda who was team Captain, accepted the trophy. Second was Team JHA manned by scouts from the 62nd Doncaster (Thornes) group and third a team sponsoring the Wakefield Metropolitan Brass Band called Musical Mariners.

The main point of the day was to generate Charity Sponsorship, and although the final total is not yet known it will be significantly over £25000 and this will all be going to the Charities nominated by the teams and Charities supported by the two Rotary Clubs who organise the day.

There was also a prize for the best dressed team on the day. The Mayors of Normanton and Wakefield, who both attended, nominated the winner which was the team from SIGMA all dressed as Smurfs!!

The date for Next years event has been set provisionally for Saturday 11th July 2026 – SO COME AND JOIN US!!

Main Final winning the Stuart Wardell Memorial Trophy for one year

1^st Stuarts Big Kiss

2^nd Team JHA

3^rd Musical Mariners

4^th Sigma

5^th Friends of Cap Care

6^th Give a Duck

Ladies final

1^st Dr Dragons

2^nd Jet2 ApprenticeSHIP

3^rd Critical Care

4^th Blazing Saddles

5^th DR Dynamos

6^th Childrens Heart Surgery Fund

All of the results are published on the Results page of the Dragon Boat Challenge web site including all race times.

Click here for full photo gallery