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102: pinkpages achieved in Dargaville Longest Dargaville Girl Guides have achieved the longest bra chain in the world, after spending two years collecting the bras from around the country and overseas. Initially started as part of a GirlGuiding New Zealand challenge to raise awareness about the detection and prevention of breast cancer, with the help of massive support from everyone involved in the dream, the world record for the longest bra chain was reached on the 19th of February at 9.30pm after stringing 169,234 bras together at Dargaville Memorial Park. With Northland MP Mike Sabin and Paddling into history Dargaville Mayor Neil Tiller on-hand as official "persons of note", the previous Australian record of 166,625 bras in 2009, which took three years to achieve, has been broken. Dargaville's Memorial Park was literally taken over by rows of bras, all carefully The International Pink Sisters Dragon Boat Team paddled into history when they travelled to Israel and Istanbul to promote dragon boating for health recovery after breast cancer. This incredible team has been traveling around the world for the last six years inspiring breast cancer survivors to take up this exciting sport which has been medically proven to prevent and /or reduce Lymphodema. Lindy Daniell from Cancer Society Wairarapa, and Elaine Gorton from Pink Dragons Auckland, were privileged and honoured to be part of a team including others from Canada, USA and South Africa, and describe their experience below. The very first International Israeli Dragon Boat Festival was held on the Sea of Galilee. To paddle on such a historic site with Tiberias, the Golan Heights and Jordan in view was an incredible experience and it was with a sense of awe and wonder that the team paddled through the reeds to the start line to compete with six other breast cancer teams who had come mostly from Canada. linked together and then counted by Robyn Martinovich and her team of helpers. "Linking the bras together was a far bigger task than I had originally anticipated and took a lot longer than we had planned," said Robyn. "With only a dozen Pippin, Brownie and Guide members based in Dargaville, breaking a world record was very much a huge community effort," she said. Over the past two years, the bras have been donated by Guiding members, friends, family and complete strangers from throughout the country. Stores like Postie and Bendon Outlet stores also came on-board and bras were sent to Robyn from as far away as the United States, England and Australia. Robyn Martinovich said she was working with aid agencies to send the good quality bras from the collection to Africa and the Pacific. bra chain Competition was keen and although not placed in the Breast Cancer Final, the team celebrated winning GOLD in the G grade Division The traditional and emotional Breast Cancer Flower Ceremony, where those who have lost their battle with cancer are honoured, was especially poignant when the Israeli women from their Cancer Society waded waist deep into the water to encircle the boats and pray with us. The size of the Turkish festival held in the very exotic location of the Golden Horn was unexpected, with 120 mainly corporate teams paddling a 320m course. The purpose of attending this event was to raise awareness and encourage Turkish breast cancer survivors to make up a team. It was unheard of to have an all-women team competing and it was of great concern to the organisers that our women sweep (oar person) would be incapable of being able to steer and direct the race tactics with safety. This created much interest amongst the huge crowd attending and it was wonderful to hear that the organizers are now considering including a women's division in future. This will have a huge impact on any future breast cancer teams and Turkish women in general. It was very clear that many had doubted our abilities on the water, but on the second day it was obvious that their view had changed and we were greeted the following day with huge respect and treated like royalty. They sought us out for photographs and TV interviews followed. The Flower Ceremony was seen for the first time and we felt very pleased that our mission of raising awareness had been achieved. Lindy and Elaine feel very honoured to represent New Zealand as part of a diplomatic mission changing the lives of women worldwide as they deal with one of life's devastating medical conditions. The team is always first in their lane and happy to be alive to do it.