Local teen and student at Central Huron Secondary School, Julia Chagnon, is headed to Thailand at the end of July to compete on the Dragon Boat Canada Junior National team. She's going alongside her teammates from the Lambton Shores Dragon Boat Club.
"There are definitely many emotions circling through as we get closer," said Chagnon. "I'm feeling quite confident in not only myself, but all of my teammates going into this. We've worked very hard to get here and it's our time to show who's best."
Chagnon explained Dragon Boating as a paddle-driven water sport with a boat that holds up to 20 paddlers, a drummer, and a stern. The races can be anywhere from 200 metres to two kilometres.
She initially got into Dragon Boating through a team building exercise with her hockey team. She was asked by her coach, Cathy Johnson, to join the team.
"It's a completely different sport from what I've done all my life, which is hockey," Chagnon said. "The environment was very inclusive and the team itself is just amazing."
The team leaves on July 30, with races beginning in August.
"This competition is to show everyone the team's skills and all we've dedicated to get to the point we're at," she said. "I think all of us just want to represent Canada to its fullest and bring home the gold."
If you're interested in following Chagnon's journey, you can do so on The Corners of Clinton Facebook page and the Lambton Shores Dragon Boat Club page.