Finding your inner dragon

BY JENNA THOMPSON

Dragon boats have become an Ottawa tradition with some 5,000 paddlers and more than 75,000 fans descending on the Tim Hortons Dragon Boat Festival each summer. It’s a 2,500-year-old tradition from China, with ceremonial and religious aspects in addition to racing. Most of today’s boats are about 12 metres long and weigh more than 225 kilograms! Originally teak, they are now built with carbon fibre and fibreglass.

If you’re thinking about joining the fun, here’s some of what you need to know.

A dragon boat team has 22 people, including 20 paddlers who sit in rows of two. The drum mer or caller sits at the front and counts out the strokes, or pounds the beat of the strokes on a drum. This person needs to be small and loud to be heard over a roaring crowd and the shouts of opposing teams. At the other end of the boat, the steerer guides the boat with a long oar and is responsible for balancing the boat and ensuring the team’s safety.

Then comes the muscle power. The six crew members at the bow are smaller pad dlers with steady, long strokes. The first pair are the “strokes” and everyone synchronizes with them. The middle eight paddlers are the “engine room” and are bigger, stronger paddlers. The back six paddlers also need impressive strength to really pull hard in order to be effective.

For maximum power per paddle, it’s critical that all team members are synchronized, with the paddles dipping, pulling and leaving the water at the same time. You may notice teams fall out of synch with a resulting ripple effect called “caterpillaring” because it mimics many larva legs moving at different times.

Dragon boating involves an unusual paddling technique with six stages: ROTATION

Rotate the torso toward the inside of the boat EXTENSION/REACH

Reach as far forward as possible in a position that looks like a capital A from the side CATCH

Dig the paddle straight down into the water PULL

Once the paddle is fully underwater, sit up and with arms straight the entire time; EXIT

Lift the paddle straight up out of the water and … RECOVERY

Move back to the A position, ready for the next cycle.

If you’re ready to try it, teams are looking for paddlers. Some may practise only once or twice before the big day, others require a year-round commitment, and some teams fall somewhere in between. Many private companies and organizations have teams, so ask around where you work or volunteer. The Rideau Canoe Club has a “Find team/paddler” page in its website’s dragon boat section. Festival organizers also try to place hopeful paddlers on teams in need.

This year’s festival is scheduled for June 23 to 26. The Rideau Canoe Club also hosts a dragon boat event scheduled for August 27. Both are held at Mooney’s Bay.

PHOTO BY SIMON INGRAM

ILLUSTRATION BY BELINDA IVEY

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