Dragonboat History
Dragon Boat racing began in China more than 2,000 years ago. Legend has it that Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet and scholar in the fourth century BC, took such umbrage to the corruption within the Chu Dynasty he flung himself into the Mi Lo River. Qu Yuan was very beloved by the people, and local fisherman paddled furiously from shore to try to save him. To prevent his body from being eaten by the fish and to appease the river dragons, the fishermen scattered rice dumplings into the water. They couldn't save Qu Yuan, but this attempt to save Qu Yuan is re-acted in the form of dragon boat racing every year.
Now more than 2,000 years later the sport of dragon boat racing has really taken off. Dragon boat racing is one of the fastest growing water sports in the world. The sport has always been popular in the Pacific Rim, but the growth of the sport in the Western world over the last five years has been nothing short of phenomenal. Find a city with a stretch of water and chances are you will find a dragon boat race: Hong Kong, Sydney, New York, London, Cape Town, Dhaka, Wellington, Vancouver. A quarter of a million people turn out annually for the Toronto race and Sweden alone has over 400 crews.
The dragon boats have a unique concave design originating from Chinese fishing vessels thousands of years ago. These multi-colored boats are decorated with fierce dragon heads, scaly bodies and elaborate tails. Measuring nearly 18 meters long, they are almost the length of a large metro bus.
Teams race along a straight course in an assigned lane varying from 250 to 1,000 meters with an average time of three to six minutes. For the competitors, the object is to have all 20 paddlers working together at top speed with well-timed strokes of the blade hitting the water as horizontally as possible.
The goal is to generate enough speed to cause the boat to rise high and smooth above the water by a cresting wave beneath the bow. Typically, a seasoned Dragon Boat crew will have a rate of 70 to 80 strokes per minute and can travel over the water at 3 to 4 meters per second. A world class level dragon boat operating at top speed can actually pull up a water skier!
A friendly, easy to learn activity which appeals to both young and old alike, dragon boating is a great team building and family sport. It's also a great excuse for getting fit and to have fun with your friends on the water. Once a team has been indoctrinated into dragon boating, the benefits will be immediately apparent; from the health perspective to the camaraderie and spirit the sport invokes.
The most exciting part of dragon boating is the Festival itself. One of the rituals associated with the races is "Awakening the Dragons." This is where a Taoist priest dots the eyes of the dragon head in order to bring the dragon out of its slumber. This ceremony, which dates back over the centuries, is performed at the opening of all races. Much of the excitement and pageantry is due to the intensive and passionate efforts of the 1,000+ paddlers that train every year for this event. Commitment to excellence, spirited competitiveness, and broad community involvement makes this event an annual success.
