A Pink Wind on Water: The Karalis Pink and Open Monuments in Dragon Boat
A beautiful experience of sports, culture, and sharing took place today in the calm waters of Molentargius Park. The Karalis Pink, the Cagliari dragon boat team composed of women who have undergone breast cancer surgery, enthusiastically welcomed a group of participants in the Open Monuments initiative for a very special tour... paddling!
The Coevolvers team was invited to participate and this invitation was welcomed with enthusiasm. After a brief introduction about the history of the team and the significance of dragon boating for women in pink, the group donned life jackets and gripped their paddles with enthusiasm. Laughter, curiosity, and eagerness to get involved soon made the atmosphere lively and engaging.
Accompanied by some experienced Karalis Pink, the participants boarded the colorful boat over 12 meters long. After initial technical explanations and a few dry runs, it only took a few paddles to get into the groove and ply the waters in perfect team spirit.
We set off in two dragon boats from the Molentargius Dockyard, under a spring sky, and with a great desire to paddle together. Leading us along the way was the very knowledgeable Terenzio, an exceptional scout leader and guide, who accompanied us stage by stage on a real journey between nature and memory.
During the stops, Terenzio was able to fascinate us with stories about the history of Molentargius Park, a former industrial area related to salt mining and now a valuable nature area where fresh and brackish water, history, and biodiversity coexist.
The route covered about 5 km in total. It was a flat but exciting route, where fatigue mingled with awe. As the paddles set the pace and voices intertwined between paddles, nature gave us a little twist: some mullets jumped right into one of the dragon boats! A funny and unexpected episode that drew laughter and reinforced the playful atmosphere of the day.
Upon returning to the dockyard, amid hugs, photographs, and exchanges of impressions, the joy of having experienced something authentic was evident in the faces of the participants. For many, it was the first time aboard a dragon boat; for all, a moment of encounter between different worlds - that of solidarity sports, urban memory, and territorial discovery.
This activity fits within our mission: to spread the value of sport as healing, prevention, and rebirth. We are happy that Open Monuments opened not only the doors to historic buildings but also to a water space where we could share stories and paddle beats.
A big thank you to all participants, to Terence for his passionate explanations, and to the organizers of Open Monuments for believing in this collaboration.
Karalis Pink motto remains the same: life is a paddle, we always go forward!
Thank you for coevolving together!
