The Stardust Casino team made waves—literally—at the Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival this past weekend, claiming first place as Grand Champions in their division finals. Competing against corporate giants like TD Bank, Procter & Gamble, and Google, our colleagues outpaced the field in a thrilling display of strength, coordination, and teamwork at Centre Island.
Led by coach Yiyong Pan, the winning crew included Faye Peng, Natasha Hu, Anton Kazakov, Dan Shields, Susan Lu, Isabelle Hau, Gary Chan, Andrei Jerebnii, and Susan Chang. Special thanks go to Isabelle’s daughter Samantha, who stepped in as the boat’s drummer at the last minute, and to Natasha’s brother Nick for filling a paddler spot. We’re also grateful to Kaya for showing up in support and to Jenifer, our executive sponsor, who generously donated her poker tournament winnings to help fund the effort.
This incredible achievement brought together employees across departments and generations, fostering new connections and even improving participants’ health and wellbeing. The shared pride of hearing “Lane #2, Stardust Casino, first place!” was unforgettable. The team’s trophy is now on display at the front desk, and Isabelle’s gold medal can be admired at her desk.
Congratulations again to everyone involved—and here’s to defending our title next year!