The River Spirit Dragon Boat Team captured its first-ever gold medal in Victoria on Aug. 19. Paddling shorthanded – one of the paddlers came down with appendicitis – in the 500-metres Women’s A final, the Campbell River ladies took first, crossing the finish line in a time of 2:26.81. The team continues to practice on the Campbell River estuary and will be competing in their last regatta of the year in September at Sprout Lake.