What is dragon boating? The traditional boats used in most modern day events are 48 feet (14 meters) in length, constructed of wood and epoxy and weigh approximately 1000 lbs (450 kg).   They are propelled by 20 paddlers, guided by a Steersperson and led by a drummer seated at the bow of the boat, maintaining a steady pace for the duration of the standard 500 meter course.   Sheer strength in individual paddlers has little to do with winning. Teamwork combined with a good timing is what wins these races. Well coordinated female and mixed crews routinely defeat all-male crews.

Each race takes approx. 2-4 minutes, depending on the level of competition and experience of the racers. Each race has 3-4 boats competing and are run every 10-15 minutes, allowing for teams to load and unload the boats.  Teamwork and spirit of competition make each race very exciting!

Above all dragon boat racing is a lot of  fun. Anyone, young or old, at almost any fitness level can quickly learn and develop a passion for this sport.

Did you know?

·         Dragon boat racing is the fastest growing sport activity in the world today.

·         Dragon boat racing is the 2nd largest team sport in the world today (after soccer).

·         Over 2,000,000 people world-wide participate in Dragon Boat Festivals.

·         Participants as old as 85 and as young as 12 participate in Dragon Boating.

·         Dragon Boat events do not involve a large number of volunteers or significant risk.

Dragon boat History

The Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the life and death of the patriot-poet Qu Yuan (340-278 B.C.). The festival was traditionally held on the fifth day of the fifth moon on the lunar calendar, late May to mid June on the solar calendar, although they are now held throughout the available season.

Qu Yuan was a minister who advocated reforms in his home state of Chu. After being discredited and disgraced by political rivals, as well as criticizing the government and the emperor, he was banished. During his time in exile, Qu Yuan wrote poetry expressing his concern for his country and people.

In 278, when Qu Yuan heard that his former state and home had been invaded by a neighbouring state, he wandered the banks of the Mi Lo River and was never seen again. Fishermen hurried out in their boats in a desperate attempt to rescue him, but they could not find him.

People made rice dumplings wrapped in leaves and dropped them into the river, thinking that the fish would eat the dumplings instead of Qu Yuan's body. The fishermen tried to scare the fish away by beating on their drums and splashing the water with their paddles.

Since then, the tradition of dragon boat racing has continued to honour the memory of Qu Yuan.

Dragon Boat racing as we know it began in Hong Kong in 1976 and has grown in leaps and bounds since. Canada saw it’s first dragon boat race in 1986 at the world Exposition in Vancouver. The Canadian Community Dragon Boat Association lists 68 dragon boat festivals being held in Canada in 2005.

Today, it is both a recreational and a highly competitive sport enjoyed by people of all ages in over 50 countries and territories around the world. It is the second fastest growing team sport in the world, with only soccer forming more teams each year than dragon boating. In the last ten years, dragon boating has taken on a new dimension with the formation of hundreds of teams consisting entirely of breast cancer survivors. The breast cancer survivor ceremony is now an staple at many dragon boat festivals.