The sport of dragonboat racing has its origins in China over 1000 years ago.Over the past 20 years has become one of the world's most colourful and fastest growing team sports. Dragonboating is a fun, social and competitive team sport that involves a 48 foot, 300Kg boat, 20 paddlers, a drummer, and a stern racing at 250, 500 and sometimes 2000 metre courses. Dragon Boating(video)
The goal of VCKC teams is to compete in nearby dragonboat festivals, including the Gorge Super Sprints(May), Portland Rose Festival (June), Vancouver/Alcan (June), Richmond (July), Vancouver Island Championships and Victoria (August), and Kelowna and San Francisco (September).
Teams start their practices in early March and finish the season either after the Victoria or Kelowna festivals. Depending on demand, the dragonboat program offers several different teams with different goals and commitment levels: Competitive, Recreational, Womens, Youth, and 50+. In 2009, VCKC had 6 teams in action - all recreational.
VCKC Teams are open to any member of VCKC. Competitive teams require strong commitment and require previous paddling experience and fitness.
Paddlers wishing to be placed on a team undergo a selection process to match their season's goals with a team of similarly minded paddlers. "Open" practices at 10 am are held on Saturday Mornings, starting in early April. This is the best place to start as a new member or new paddler.
Paddlers are placed onto teams in April with practices twice weekly to ensure top performance for the Victoria Dragonboat Festival in mid-August.
Champion 9M
Dragonboats
VCKC is temporarily home for a Champion 9m (10 paddler) dragon boat on promotion from Nightstar Yacht Sales Ltd (Nanaimo). It will remain at our facilities until August 28th.
A second is 9m boat is on display at the Bay Centre Mall (Victoria) to promote the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival. Later in August, it too will be moved to VCKC, where it will be used in a demonstration race (9m DB) between the 1st and 2nd teams at our Guts & Glory event on August 28th.
The boats are designed for racing: quite light, fast and less stable then our existing boats. Steering is similar but due to the length easier to turn. They are also less robust, so some caution is requested. They appear to be an approach to reducing the cost and complexity of dragon boating.
The boat are readily available to our teams, and any other Victoria DB teams who wish to try them.
To check for available times please check here then,
Email vckc.championdb@gmail.com to book the time slot.
Instructional Resources
Useful links:
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