2024 LAKE BEMIDJI DRAGON BOAT PARTICIPATING TEAMS
Organization/Business
Pepsi Nei Bottling
Bemidji Area Cross Country Ski Club
Sanford Health
Bemidji State University
Bemidji Rotary Club
Sanford Bemidji OB/Peds
Bemidji Fire Department
Paul Bunyan Communications
Coyote 102.5
Cultural Society of Filipino-Americans MN
Oxford Realty
Sanford Health
First National Bank Bemidji
Endazhi-Nitaawiging/Waasabiik
Paul Bunyan Communications
Headwaters Canoe and Kayak
Lakeland PBS
MIDCO
Misfit Paddlers
Team Name Cup Division
1212 Crew Family
BACCSC-Snow Dragons Civic
Bad to the Bone Health
Beaver Fever Education
Bemidji Rowtarians Civic
Birth Canal Cruisers Health
Blazing Hosers Civic
Broadbandits
Coyote 102.5
Cultural Society of Filipino-Americans MN
Media
Media
Dragon Slayers Real Estate
Feel-Oars Health
First Nautical Bank Bemidji Bankers
Gagwejikanidiwag Education
Giga Paddlers Media
HydraHeads
Lakeland PBS Paddlers
MIDCO Muskies
MisfIt Paddlers
Media
Media
MN Women of the Wild MN Women of the Wild MINNESOTA DRAGON BOAT CLUB
MINNESOTA DRAGON BOAT CLUB
Dondelinger Chevrolet and GMC
Bemidji High School Nordic Ski Team
Nortech
Paul’s Muscle Mecca
Choice Therapy
Island City Dragon Boat Club
Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union
218 Real Estate
Walmart
Security Bank USA
Seven Clans Casinos
Bayside Bar & Grill
Sanford Health
MNDBC - TEAM BLUE
MNDBC - TEAM GOLD
Motodragons
Nordic Whitecaps Education
Nortech Terminators
Paddle For Paul! Health
Pain Relieve Oars Health
Perfect Catch!
Purple Paddlers Bankers
Row Hard or Row Home Real Estate
Sam’s Sailors
Security Bank USA Banccaneers Bankers
Seven Clans Casinos
Slow Boat to China Family
Surgical Guts Health
Insure Forward Team F’oar’ward Bankers
Paul Bunyan Communications
Netzers Floral
Luekens Village Foods
Island City Dragon Boat Club
BHS Alumni
Park Rapids Rotary
Keg N Cork
The Need for Giga-Speed Media
The SnapDragons
Village People
Wake My Day!
Wave Runners Education
Wavemakers Civic
Wooly Irishmen
July31st-August3rd,2024
7/31 - WEDNESDAY
Schedule of Events
L AKE BEMIDJI WATERFRONT
July 31st - Aug 3rd, 2024
info@bemidjidragonboat.com bemidjidragonboat.com
Taco Fest for the United Way 11am - 7pm
Dragon’s Den Open
50/50 Raffle Ticket Sales 11am - 9pm
Merchandise Tent Open
8/1 - THURSDAY
Merchandise Tent Open 5pm - 8pm
Practice Sessions
Everyone is welcome to watch 5pm - 9pm
Dragon’s Den Open Sponsor Appreciation Night 5pm - 11pm
50/50 Raffle Ticket Sales
8/2 - FRIDAY
Food Court Noon - 9pm
Practice Sessions
Everyone is welcome to watch 5pm - 9pm 11am - 1pm
Dragon’s Den Entertainment on the Sanford Center Stage Featuring: Sonny Johnson Rhonda & Orlando
Dragon’s Den Open Noon - Midnight
50/50 Raffle Ticket Sales
St Michel Furniture Lakeside Lounge Open Lakeside Seating 6pm
Practice Sessions
Everyone is welcome to watch 3pm - 5pm
8/3 - SATURDAY
YPN Race Day Breakfast YPN Mimosa & Bloody Mary Bar 9am - 9:30am 8am - 10am
Dragon’s Den Open 8am - Midnight
50/50 Raffle Ticket Sales
8am - 10am 4pm - 7pm
St Michel Furniture Lakeside Lounge Open Lakeside Seating 8am
Merchandise Tent Open
Merchandise Tent Open 9am - 6pm
MAIN RACE DAY
Food Court 4pm - 8pm 5pm - 8pm 5pm - 8pm Food Court 10am - 9pm
Parade of Teams Opening Ceremony 6pm - 6:30pm
Dragon’s Den Entertainment on the Sanford Center Stage Featuring: Mix 103.7 LIVE 8:30pm - 10:30pm
Dragon’s Den Entertainment on the Sanford Center Stage Featuring: Fun Pianos - Dueling Piano Show After Awards Ceremony
5k Walk/Run 8am - 9am 8:30am 9am - 6pm ½k Walk/Run
Mandatory SPRINT CUP Team Managers Meeting Mandatory ALL TEAM Managers Meeting Awards Ceremony Following the Finals 6:30pm- 7pm 7pm - 8:30pm 5pm - 9pm 6:30pm - 9pm
Kids Activity Tent 1pm - 3pm
Dragon’s Den Entertainment on the Sanford Center Stage Featuring: Paint The Town
IT WAS WIN NO. 10 FOR HYDRAHEADS IN 2023
BY JARED RUBADO
The Bemidji Pioneer Underdogs exist because of teams like the HydraHeads.
For the 10th time in the 17-year history of the Lake Bemidji Dragon Boat Festival, the HydraHeads came away as the victors of the championship race in 2023. The victory walk along the beach to receive the firstplace medals is a welcomed tradition for Bemidji’s most accomplished squad.
“I feel very proud,” said Lisa Boulay, a member of the HydraHeads. “I’m proud of my teammates, and I’m proud of the other teams. I’m proud of the city for doing this, and I hope we can do whatever it takes to make sure (this festival) never goes away.”
Comprised of former professional rowers and distance athletes, the HydraHeads clocked a final time of 2:04.06. They beat the Nordic Whitecaps, a team filled with Bemidji High School Nordic skiers, by roughly three seconds.
The championship race also featured The Need for Giga-Speed, the defending champions out of Paul Bunyan Communications. The 2022 title winners finished in third place, while representatives from Paul’s Muscle Mecca gym participated in their first championship race and finished in fourth place.
The 2023 race missed the flair of controversy from the previous year. The HydraHeads believed they won their 10th title in 2022. However, officials called for a restart after the Prostate Paddlers inadvertently steered into the wrong lane, causing an unfair finish for at least one team in the championship race. The Need for GigaSpeed took advantage of their second life and dethroned HydraHeads to win their first title.
“(2022) was a little controversial,” said Jim Harwood, a HydraHeads paddler. “We kind of had a little bit of an edge this year, focused a little more on technique. It feels
good to finally get that win back.”
Even though HydraHeader Mark Walters called the 2022 result a “half win,” they longed for a chance to claim their actual 10th championship.
“When we started training this summer, last year was definitely still in our minds,” Harwood continued. “We wanted to avenge that loss, and we did. It feels really good. If you win this race, you get to carry it with you the whole winter. It sticks in your mind when you start training. A lot of these people do other kinds of races and they’re just as competitive in those too. We take pride in winning.”
While the gallery of people watching from the lawn overlooking the water yearned for another new champion, the HydraHeads made good on their goal of righting last year’s wrong. Dominant teams serve as a crucial component in competition, eventually setting up the underdog for a grander triumph.
“I think a lot of people share our feeling in all sports,” said Boulay when asked if she feels like the HydraHeads are seen as the villains. “I also have to admit that I like seeing an underdog win. Who doesn’t love seeing the underdog win? But we’re not the underdogs and I like it when my team wins.”
So how does one group row their way to 10 championships? And how is it that the team that’s older than most is the one doing it?
“Synchronicity is everything,” Harwood said. “You have to get your boat on plane and then being in sync is more important than anything. Power doesn’t mean a lot. It’s about timing. A lot of these people on our team have paddled competitively and are retired now. I think that experience helps a lot. Muscle doesn’t make these boats go. It’s all timing.”
The spoils of winning the Dragon Boat Race fuel the HydraHeads as they’re eager to get their paddles in Lake Bemidji in 2024.
SPRINT CUP
Festival Roll of Champions
Championship Division Winners
2006 Wooly Irishmen, Bemidji Woolen Mills/Keg n’ Cork
2007 SS Minnow, Peak Performance
2008 HydraHeads, Headwaters Canoe and Kayak
2009 Cedar River Gang, Iowa
2010 HydraHeads, Headwaters Canoe and Kayak
2011 River City Dragons, Winnipeg
2012 Cedar River Gang, Iowa
2013 HydraHeads, Headwaters Canoe and Kayak
2014 HydraHeads, Headwaters Canoe and Kayak
2015 HydraHeads, Headwaters Canoe and Kayak
2016 HydraHeads, Headwaters Canoe and Kayak
2017 HydraHeads, Headwaters Canoe and Kayak
2018 Prostate Paddlers, Winnipeg
2019 HydraHeads, Headwaters Canoe and Kayak
2020 Festival canceled due to coronavirus pandemic
Dragon Boat
2021 HydraHeads, Headwaters Canoe and Kayak
2022 The Need for Giga-Speed, Paul Bunyan Communications
2023 HydraHeads, Headwaters Canoe and Kayak
LAKE BEMIDJI DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL RACE SCHEDULE
