In pictures: Dragon Boat Festival on the Cam raises funds for hospital
The 18th Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival – supported once again by the Cambridge Independent – brought colourful and chaotic scenes to the River Cam at Fen Ditton.
Sponsored by Illumina, the funds raised this year are going towards the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital – the first cancer specialist hospital in the East of England. More than £35,000 has been raised so far.
Lucy Morton, executive director of race organiser, NewWave Events, said that there were “a couple of thousand people” either taking part or watching the festival on Saturday (7 September).
She added: “The 2024 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival was a huge success with record numbers of teams signed up and a fantastic record-breaking fundraising total for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust.
“The weather was on our side and the whole team at NewWave Events had a great day with all of the teams. We’re looking forward to seeing you all in 2025!”
More than 40 teams competed over the 200m race course, with up to 10 people paddling each 30ft boat. A drummer at the front of each beat the time while the helm at the tail helped steer a straight course.
In the Charity Trophy, which fundraised for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), the team crowned as the Charity Champions and winners of the Let’s Go Punting experience prize were Buffa-Rowers from Buffaload Logistics Ltd, who raised more than £3,000.
The team also came third in the Mixed Competition, which was won by Filthy Oars from RS Heaps Ltd. Oars You Need Is Love from Four Corners Farming were in second place.
First overall were Paddle Shifters from Cosworth Electronics Ltd, with a time of 62.96, beating Shunters from The Railway Arms (63.18) into second place.
Third were Penta-Row Paddlers from Pentaco Construction Ltd, with a time of 63.36, and in fourth place were Filthy Oars from RS Heaps Ltd, in a time of 63.58.
In the Best Dressed category, The Ink-credibles from Screenworks and Oars You Need Is Love were ‘highly commended’, while the winners were Mosses Arc from Paul’s 50th Birthday Team, dressed as animals on Mosses Arc.
The organisers also thanked the Gold and Silver entries, whose entry donations to ACT totalled £7,000 alone.
The Gold entries were Arcade UK Ltd, AstraZeneca, Cognidox Ltd, Linx Printing Technologies, Pentaco Construction Ltd, and VNC Automotive, and the Silver entries were Advanced Metalcraft Ltd, Buffaload Logistics Ltd, Cambridge Intelligence, Cambridge Investment Partnership, and NVIDIA Development UK Ltd.
