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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.
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