The Hoofdvaart in Drenthe splits the inhabitants of Dieverbrug. At least that is what the organizers of the dragon boat race that will be held this weekend. With the first annual dragon boat race between the bridge and lock, they try to bring the inhabitants together.
“We wanted to get the community together. So we came up with a playful idea to organize something fun with a nice sporting event,” says Klaas van der Weg. Together with Ruben Krop, he laid the foundation for the event.
“Behind us is the canal”, a resident of Dieverbrug points out. “There you have the Dwingelerkant and the daring side. One is good and the other is the bad of course. But now we are in the middle of the channel, so that is a nice place to bring both sides to each other.”
According to Ruben Krop, Dieverbrug already has the annual lock days, but they are mainly for people from outside the village. In addition, those days also bring nuisance for local residents. That is why he wanted to do with Klaas van der Weg what for the residents of Dieversluis and the surrounding area. They got the idea from the dragon boat races on Erica. They get help from countless volunteers.
Van der Weg also sees “Really overwhelming for such a first time”. “We have also had a lot of support from the neighborhood, from both sides of the Hoofdvaart in Drenthe. So you see that it is no longer a divorce but brings people together.”