Canadian National Dragon Boat Team

“Hi! 👋🏻 I’m Scott Murray and I’ve been coaching Team Canada Senior A, since 2013.

Something I will always remember and take from my Dad is that he was a fierce supporter of his teams:
* The Leafs (of course)
* Team Canada (any Team Canada, it didn’t matter the sport or discipline)
* Our family (my brother Sean, sister Tracey and I)
He supported these with all his energy and passion to the point where you could never really tell who was more nervous or invested, him or the players.
Some of my greatest memories were celebrating Canadian Olympic victories in the basement with my Dad.

My mom is always the most supportive person I have ever known. Two things she would say that have always stuck with me:
“You can do anything you want to if you set your mind to it.”
And
“Go get ‘em tiger. All you can do is put 100% into it. If you do that good things will happen.”
And anyone who knows her knows that she puts 100% into everything she does. Especially supporting her family.

I am immensely proud to be a part of Team Canada, every time I am fortunate to be part of Team Canada I try to embody these attributes and lessons I took from my greatest coaches, my Mom and Dad.

I think that if I can simply be the best teammate possible to my Team Canada family then that will shine a positive light for my kids and hopefully they will continue to reflect the heart and souls of my parents.

Paddles Up!
Scott Murray ❤️”



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“ 👋🏻 Nous sommes la famille Maréchal – David et Élie!

David Maréchal
Premier National Team - 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2023
Senior A – 2019 and 2023
Premier World Cup – 2014 and 2016

Élie Maréchal
Junior B - 2023

J’ai commencé le bateau dragon en 2005 et je me suis qualifié sur l’équipe nationale en 2009. Quand j’étais petit, je rêvais d’être en équipe nationale et de participer à un évènement mondial (ou les olympiques…) et ce rêve s’est réalisé!

J’aime le bateau dragon pour la recherche de performance en équipe! C’est une combinaison parfaite entre la performance de haut-niveau et un groupe d’ami qui pratiquent leur sport ensemble.

Mais cette année est spéciale car mon fils de 11 ans a été sélectionné pour aller en Thaïlande avec l’équipe nationale junior B. Il a été élevé dans le bateau dragon en assistant aux courses dès son plus jeune âge. À 6 mois, il était au CCWC de Hong Kong alors que ma femme et moi pagayions en premier open, femme et mixte! Avoir mon fils qui aime le bateau dragon et le voir réussir à se qualifier me rend très fier! Et c’est juste le début, j’en ai 2 autres plus jeunes qui s’en viennent!

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👋🏻 we are the Marechal Family – David and Élie!

I started dragon boat in 2005 and with the national team in 2009. When I was young, I had dreamt to be on the national team and participate in a world event (or Olympics…) and it happened!.

I love dragon boat for the athletes that perform all together. It is a perfect combination of high performance athletes and friends working together.

This year is even more special as my 11 year old son has been selected to go to Thailand for Junior B. He has been raised with a dragon boat family and been to many races. At 6 months old, he was at CCWC in Hong Kong when my wife and I were racing in premier open, mixed and women! To have my son enjoying dragon boat and doing it together is a very proud father-son moment. And this is just the beginning… I have two other young ones that are coming! ❤️”

“Hi 👋 We are the Kwok family and consist of Stephen (dad), Kevin and Alex. Both Kevin and Alex were the youngest premier athletes during their era.

Stephen Kwok
Senior A - Senior C National Team - 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017.

Kevin Kwok
Premier National Team - 1999, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2025 hopeful
Premier Fuzhou World Cup - 2014

Alex Kwok
U24 and Premier National Team - 2013
Premier Fuzhou World Cup - 2014
Premier National Team - 2015
Premier Changzhou world cup - 2016

There are very few times you can bond between father and sons. Life gets busy and there’s a considerable age gap between the three of us. Fact of the matter is .. the sport means more to us than to compete and win internationally. It’s been in our family’s DNA for years and continues to be a factor that strengthens our friendship and bond.

Alex and Kevin: “There is no sweeter feeling than seeing our dad hoist the senior nations cup (named after the kwok family) and hoisting the nations cup with your brother and best friend. Dragon boat for us is more than sport. 💙”



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Canadian National Team Father’s Month Special 👨🏻‍🍼

This month we celebrate Father’s Day on June 18th. Father’s Day is a celebration honoring one's father, or relevant father figure, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.
We will be sharing with you some of our past, present and future National Team athletes who are dads, or wanting to honour their children.

Behind all your stories is your father’s story, because he is where yours begin. 💁🏻‍♂️👨‍👦🙋🏻‍♂️


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Hi 👋, I’m Lisa Ferguson. I’ve been dragonboating for 17 years and dragging my daughter, Gillian Ferguson to regattas since she was 4 years old.

G started out as my ‘support person’ and ‘pit crew’ at my dragonboat races and at CCWC in Ravenna, Italy in 2014. She caught the bug, (IYKYK), and made a seamless transition from Sprint Canoe to dragonboating, when she was 15.

Soon, I found us both competing at the same dragonboat events, including CCWC in Szeged, Hungary, 2018 and Sarasota, Florida, 2022. In 2019, G made the Junior Canadian National Team and raced at the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Pattaya, Thailand. Now, Gilli is also a skilled steer person, proving herself at the CCWC last July in Sarasota on those new crazy 2K turns!

Yes, I’m gushing, but I’m entitled, as her Mom! She’s earned it. 🥰 I’m very proud of all that she has accomplished and learned. I’m in awe of Gill’s drive, tenacity, work ethic and passion for life and learning. I believe in leading by example and it appears as though G is now teaching ME, by example!

For both of us, the process of trying out for the Canadian National Team this cycle, has been challenging, yet rewarding. Having one another to encourage, confide in, and share wins and losses with, has been a wonderful thing to share.

We are grateful for all of our coaches along the way, most recently Scott Murray and Chris Edwards, who set the bar high, meaning sometimes we had to jump to reach it. (Especially me, literally). The support from friends, family and teammates has been incredible and we are so thankful for your confidence in us.

Gillian and I are both honoured and thrilled to be joining Team Canada at the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Pattaya, Thailand, this August.

Gillian: ‘I am so excited to be able to share the amazing experience that is being a National Team athlete, representing Canada with my mom.’

We will perform our best to make Canada proud and bring home some bling! Ultimately, I’m most thrilled to be sharing this special journey with my ‘mini-me’ Gilli. You deserve this, and I’m so proud of you! ❤️”

“Hi 👋, I’m Elize Taua. I was on the Samoan National Outrigger Canoeing team in 2002-2003 and the Canadian National Outrigger team for the Hilo World Sprints in 2004. I took many years off from competitive sports to raise my family and advance my career, and then started racing outrigger again during the pandemic.

Through the wonderful paddling community in Toronto I was introduced to dragon boating last year and joined the TNPC Senior Women (TNSW). I’m inspired by all the dedicated, hard working and fun-loving paddling moms on TNSW. I was also just named to the National Team for Senior A and representing Canada.

I want my kids to believe in themselves, work hard and enjoy the process, regardless of the outcome. I’ve realized they’re more likely to do what I do than what I say, so I am trying to lead by example. ♥️”



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