Anne is tireless. She continues the paddle strokes without even running out of breath for a second.
In the front row of the Dragon Boat, she sets the pace. Despite the intensity, and while others struggle to catch their breath, Anne chats, makes jokes and even sings to encourage her friends in the back.
“It’s a very physical activity. We are athletes before being people with cancer,” she says, with a broad smile on her lips.
“Afterwards, it is also good for our health. It is a sport which was identified in the 80s as being beneficial for the drainage of our operated arm”, continues one of the driving forces of the group.
In this funny Dragons Ladies team, everyone has their place on the boat. Beginners and more experienced paddlers can paddle to their heart’s content at least once a week on Lac de la Ramée.
“What’s good about this practice is that if we get tired, the boat still moves forward. We can rest and it’s the friends who take over,” admits Annick, a “Ladies ” who never stops playing sports.
On board this strange boat, there is a wonderful atmosphere.
And it’s Myriam, aka Mymy, who sets the rhythm. In front of her, around twenty women, all of whom have been diagnosed with cancer, put their hearts into their work.
“Come on, let’s get ready for a power sequence,” orders the coxswain. No sooner said than done. The dozen “ladies” perform to the rhythm of the captain.
Together, they can travel dozens of kilometers.
“It’s really stimulating! They are full of life. During training, the girls talk to each other and surpass themselves,” says Mymy.
Funny ladies
The Toulouse section was created just over 11 years ago for this purpose. Already at the time, the objective was to do healthy sport while being able to clear one’s head: “Here, it’s the pleasure of singing, of shouting, of seeing each other too, it’s a real pleasure. We can talk about our health as simply coming to clear our heads”, continues Annick, “even if inside the boat we chat and sing, we don’t forget the physical performance either”.
During their weekly outings, the athletes do a little more than 7 or 8 kilometers. They also regularly participate in different competitions throughout France and sometimes even outside France.
