INSIDE THE WORLD OF PORTLAND’S DRAGON BOAT RACING CULTURE

The Sport Brings Colorful Competition To The Willamette River

One of the more endearing things about Portland, Oregon is the access to the beauty of nature without even having to leave the city limits. With parks galore in and around the city and a bountiful river that separates the east and west ends of town, we are pretty spoiled here in the PNW.

The Willamette River flows through the heart of Portland, providing a picturesque waterfront for outdoor activities, like festivals and competitions. This week, the Portland State Vanguard had the opportunity to sit down for an interview with the nonprofit organization, Dragon Sports, to talk about the yearly competition of dragon boat racing they put on dur - ing the Portland Dragon Boat Festival and learn a little more about the origin of the race.

The legend of dragon boat racing has a long and fascinating history that dates back to ancient China during the Warring States period. The story revolves around the poet and statesman Qu Yuan, who was known for his loyalty to the kingdom of Chu and his opposition to the corrupt officials who ruled the kingdom. When Qu Yuan’s political enemies managed to turn the king against him, he was exiled. It was at that time that he started taking up the art of poetry to express his love for his country and his despair at the sight of its corruption. One of his most famous poems was the “Li Sao” or “Encountering Sorrow.”

Overwhelmed with grief when the capital of Chu was overtaken by the rival state, Qu Yuan waded into the Miluo River and let the water take his life. Upon hearing the news, the local people rushed into the water in their boats to try and save him, but were unsuccessful. In an attempt to honor Qu Yuan’s memory and protect his body from being devoured by fish and evil spirits, the villagers threw rice dumplings into the river, beat drums and paddled their boats around, birthing the tradition of dragon boats.

To this day, dragon boat races are held annually on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar in China. Dragon boat racing has become a popular sport around the world, with competitions like the one held annually in Portland. And in recent years, the event has become recognized as an official sport by being added to various international competitions such as the Asian Games and the World Dragon Boat Championships.

In Portland, the dragon boat racing community has grown steadily over the years, attracting both participants and spectators. Taking place on the Willamette River at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park, the races provide a thrilling and competitive atmosphere as spectators watch the teams paddle in sync to the beat of the drums coming from the boats.

Founded in 1996 by a small group of paddlers, DragonSports USA started out with only one old boat made of teak that they shared between the 36 of them. In those formative years, there were no established teams names yet, so any competition those paddlers entered was under the name of DragonSports USA. By 2006, the number of boats that were owned by the organization had grown to six, and today the organization owns 10 boats that they rent to teams for competition during the festival.

DragonSports USA serves as a unifying force for racers, promoting teamwork, fitness and cultural exchange within the community. The festival is held during the month of September and is welcoming to all shapes, sizes and experience levels.

In 2004, after they realized they had enough interest to create their own competition, DragonSports presented Portland with its first ever Portland Dragon Boat Festival, attracting teams from as far as Canada and California. In true Portland style, after racers get through fiercely competing with others, they can relax at the beer garden provided. “We pride ourselves on being the first ones to the beer garden,” said Sid Smith, the presi - dent of the organization.

Dawn Ham-Kucharski, one of the newest members of the paddling team The Castaways and a sitting board member with DragonSports USA, is entering her second year of being in the world of dragon boat racing here in PDX. “As a new member, and someone who is new to the state of Oregon, and Portland, this has been a great way to not only connect to the community and make social connections, but [DragonSports] provides a welcoming inclusive environment,” she said. “No matter your ability or physical make up, everyone is included.”

Not only can dragon boat racing provide some fun while working on your fitness, but a study done by Dr. Don McKenzie at the University of British Columbia provided evidence that the rowing motion the racers do supports remission for breast cancer survivors, disproving the belief that less motion is better as to not disturb the areas created for cancer. Today there are more than 140 breast cancer dragon boating teams worldwide.

Sid said that throughout the weekend of the festival, things stay interesting. “It is just so exciting when you’re up against teams that are so similar, and races are won by a 100th of a second,” he said, which he and his team of The Castaways has gotten away with.

The last race of each day is a little different from the other ones that take place. For this special race, they have the top eight women’s teams on Saturday and the top eight teams on Sunday race from the Hawthorne bridge to the Marquam bridge and back, totaling 2000 meters.

Overall, dragon boat racing has become an integral part of the sports and recreational landscape in Portland. The sports combination of athleticism, teamwork and cultural significance has resonated with the community, fostering a vibrant and growing dragon boat racing scene in the city.