On 23 May 2025, our crew won the highest trophy at the jubilee 15th Dragon Boat Regatta for Cultural Institutions in Gdańsk, defeating rivals from a record number of participating institutions. This victory is not only a source of pride, but also a symbol of the spirit of cooperation, perseverance and sporting determination. The Motława River, which flows around the historic centre of Gdańsk, once again became the arena for teams representing Pomeranian cultural institutions.
The 15th edition of the event attracted as many as 12 institutions, which formed eleven 20-person crews. They competed on a 250-metre distance from the water tram stop at the Hilton hotel to the finish line at the Crane.
The Gdynia Aquarium took part in the third qualifying race, competing against the National Museum in Gdańsk and the Museum of the Second World War. Our crew maintained an excellent pace from the start, which allowed us to advance to the A final with an excellent time. However, the highlight of the day was the final race, in which our competitors achieved the best result among all crews, leaving behind the Castle Museum in Malbork and the Archaeological Museum in Gdańsk. The prize was a challenge cup funded by the Friends of the National Maritime Museum – a trophy that has arrived to Gdynia for the first time!
Although the sporting competition was the main element of the event, the 15th Dragon Boat Regatta also had a symbolic dimension. It was organised on the occasion of European Maritime Day and Museum Day, emphasising the importance of maritime heritage and the role of cultural institutions in building social awareness. The event also aims to show that we can all participate in sports, regardless of our profession. Dragon boating has been popular in Poland for almost 30 years and is gaining more and more popularity.
The victory of the Gdynia Aquarium team is the result not only of strength, but also of enormous commitment, team spirit and many hours of joint preparation. We would like to express our special thanks to the organisers – the National Maritime Museum, the MRKS Club and the Dragon Boat Section – for the perfect preparation of the competition and technical support. We also appreciate the presence and support of our fans. We would like to congratulate all participants of the regatta – the competition was fierce and the level was extremely high. This makes our victory even more satisfying!
The Dragon Boat Regatta is an event that is gaining importance every year as a platform for integrating the Pomeranian cultural community. For us, it is also an excellent opportunity to show that, apart from working on marine environmental protection and education, we can also fight the wind, the waves, time and our own minds. We are eagerly awaiting the next edition.
Strength in water!
Weronika Podlesińska
