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June 17, 2008 Dragon Boat Racing Training Camps, New Race Announced

Dynamic Events (racedragonboats.com), dragon boat race festival organizers based in Knoxville, TN announced a series of training camps and a new one day race on Lake Chickamauga (TN) and set for September 13.

The race training, billed as mini–camps, will be held in Chatanooga's Lake Chickamauga. The training sessions will help paddlers improve their technique and timing. According to Dynamic Events Penny Behling:

'Campers get four on–the–water sessions, lunch on Saturday, video review sessions, a nutrition talk from a registered dietitian and a lot of fun! Camp registration forms are online at racedragonboats.com.

At the same location, Dynamic Events announced that it will organize the first Chatanooga Dragon Boat Regatta on Lake Chickamauga. This event, set for September 13, 2008, is a 500 meter race. More informatin can be found on the same website.

June 6, 2008 DC Dragon Boat Festival, Great Festival Turnout

May 31, June 1

The Washington DC Dragon Boat Festival, postponed from its original date, finally came off on May 31 and June 1. Thunderstorms during the afternoon of the 31st still played some havoc with the schedule but a great community event continued for its 7th annual running.

A race gets underway at the 2008 DC festival

The postponement caused cancellations by about 20 teams and throughout the festival the announcer was heard soliciting replacement rowers. Still it was a wonderful 2 day community event. At the opening ceremony, the crowds were greated by Taiwan's representative in Washington, an official from the White House, and DC Council Chairman Vincent Gray and council member Jack Evans. They noted another council member wanted to address the crowd but was rowing in a Dragon Boat at the moment.

Vincent Gray and Jack Evans address the DC Festival attendees.

Go Pink DC, a team composed of breast cancer survivors and their families, friends and supporters also participated in the ceremony, dropping pink carnations into the Potomac in remembrance of those who have not made it and in honor of those who have.

The Go Pink DC team in one of their races

More than 40 teams and 600 rowers participated in the two day festival with 250 meter races on the first day and 500 meter races on the second day.

Rowers in one of the boats at the 2008 DC festival

The festival championship was taken by Struever Bros. Eccles and Rouse, second place by Hua Fu Youth, third place to UMUC Virtual Dragons.

A team in action 2008 DC festival

It was a great event for the city, and its Chinese community in particular. We look forward to attending next year and for many years to come.

Before the eye dotting ceremony 2008 DC festival

May 20, 2008 DC Dragon Boat Festival, Best Teammates Photo Contest Rescheduled

Event Moved to May 31, June 1

Best Teammates Photo Contest rescheduled

After the original dates for the DC Dragon Boat Festival were cancelled, due to extrememly heavy flows in the Potomac, the organizers (at http://www.dragonboatdc.com/) announced agreement with the National Park Service to hold the event in the same location - at Thompson's Boathouse on May 31 and June 1.

The organizers also scheduled a practice session for new or substitute rowers who were not on the original rosters so that inexperienced rowers can get some time in a boat and get some hands on safety and paddling instruction and some experience in the water.

Dragon Boat News will hold a best teammates photo contest in conjunction with the festival. Our photographer will be on hand at various sites on May 131 at the Washington DC Dragon Boat Festival, including from 10-11AM somewhere near the festival event tent. Look for our photographer with a sign. Alternately, you may email your entry to john@dragonboatnews.com

All pictured teammates must be identified, whether from the same or from more than one team, and whether photographed by our photographer, or submitted to Dragon Boat News by email, and the team name must also be provided. Any photograph submitted in this contest may be published in the Dragon Boat News photo roundup of the DC Festival.

To get your teammates in a photo for the contest, you can come by the event tent at the main gathering area between 10 and 11 on Saturday, May 31 and look for our photographer, who will be nearby and outside the tent and who will have a sign (probably hand made), a tablet for getting all your info, and for the lucky few, some giveaways. Sign up there and get your teammates photo taken. You can bring your whole team, just a few of you, or even groups from different teams.

If you don't come by and get your picture taken then, you can email us your entry no later than noon, Monday, June 2, 2008. To be considered, your email subject line should read "contest entry" and email contents must indicate the first and last names of all teammates photographed and the team name. You can of course also include additional details, like nicknames, practice habits, why the festival was fun and — you get the idea. All photos must be taken on May 317 or June 1 at the Washington DC Dragon Boat Festival or during team festivities that weekend. Only one photo per email will be accepted. You may send more than one email entry.

After our deadline on Monday, June 2 a best teammates photo will be chosen and the members pictured will be hailed as the News Kings and/or News Queens of 2008. What's more, their photo will head the Dragon Boat News story about the festival. So don't be shy, come on by.

May 15, 2008 DC Dragon Boat Festival POSTPONED

Potomac flooding precludes safe event, organizers say

Best Teammates Photo Contest also delayed until the DC Festival

We have decided that it is not possible to run races safely nor fairly on the river this weekend. This one highlighted sentence from the announcement by the organizers reduces it to its most important point.

After last weekend's for day blast of showers and thunderstorms, the flow at Little Falls, normally 10,000 cubic feet per second is running instead at 95,000 cubic feet per second.

The festival organizers (at http://www.dragonboatdc.com/) have tentatively rescheduled till June 14-15, but they need agreement from the National Park Service.

UPDATE June 14 weekend was scratched, the latest tentative date is May 31 - June 1.

As a result, Dragon Boat News is also postponing its best teammate photo contest. However, if you happen to send us photos from practices, with team name, names of those pictured, and permission to publish them, we might just do that!

May 9, 2008 Dragon Boat News Announces Best Teammates Photo Contest for DC Festival

Dragon Boat News will hold a best teammates photo contest on May 17 at the Washington DC Dragon Boat Festival. Our photographer we on hand to photograph teammates from 10-11 on May 17. Alternately, you may email your entry to john@dragonboatnews.com

All pictured teammates must be identified, whether from the same or from more than one team, and whether photographed by our photographer, or submitted to Dragon Boat News by email, and the team name must also be provided. Any photograph submitted in this contest may be published in the Dragon Boat News photo roundup of the DC Festival.

To get your teammates in a photo for the contest, either come by the event tent at the main gathering area between 10 and 11 on Saturday, May 17 and look for our photographer, who will be nearby and outside the tent and who will have a sign (probably hand made), a tablet for getting all your info, and for the lucky few, some giveaways. Sign up there and get your teammates photo taken.

Otherwise, email us your entry no later than noon, Monday, May 19, 2008. To be considered, your email subject line should read "contest entry" and email contents must indicate the first and last names of all teammates photographed and the team name. You can of course also include additional details, like nicknames, practice habits, why the festival was fun and — you get the idea. All photos must be taken on May 17 or 18 at the Washington DC Dragon Boat Festival or during team festivities that weekend. Only one photo per email will be accepted.

After our deadline on Monday, a best teammates photo will be chosen and the members pictured will be hailed as the News Kings and/or News Queens of 2008. What's more, their photo will head the Dragon Boat News story about the festival. So don't be shy, come on by.

April 28, 2008 First Orlando Dragon Boat Festival Announced

T he launch of the first Orlando International Dragon Boat Festival (OIDBF) at Walt Disney World Resort is set for October 18, 200. GWN Dragon Boat, the organizer of the event announced.

The world's fastest growing water sport joins other world-class sport-festival events hosted at the number one family vacation destination in the world. “We're very excited about this race, which will be a world class event for the entire family,” said Christine Canevari a member of the Tampa Bay Dragon Boat Club.

GWN has identified an opportunity to develop a flagship event in Central Florida which can host over 5000 global participants and tens of thousands of spectators. “This is an exciting time for the global sport of dragon boating. We believe that having the event at Walt Disney World Resort will enable us to create an international dragon boat experience second to none” said Mike Kerkmann, President of GWN Dragon Boat and the International Dragon Boat Federation's Pan Am representative.

This ancient sport has been gaining popularity in North America, with Florida representing the sport's fastest growing market. Tampa Bay will host the IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in 2011. GWN Dragon Boat provides equipment and production support to festivals in Miami, Tavares and Tampa Bay and operates highly popular Dragon Boat Spring Training Camps in Tampa Bay and Melbourne, Florida.

Registration for the Central Florida event has already begun and excitement throughout the dragon-boat community is building. Interested teams can register at the event website located at:
http://www.gwndragonboat.com/default.asp?id=134&l=1

GWN Dragon Boat is North America's largest full service dragon boat event marketing company producing over 45 festivals annually.

April 25, 2008 Chattanooga Dragon Boat Festival Raises $111K for Children's Hospital

Canoe Wong Fu earned the title of Grand Champion of the 2nd Annual Chattanooga Dragon Boat Festival, Presented by General Shale Brick Saturday, April 19, 2008. 44 teams had a great time paddling in the event and raised $111,448.50 in pledges for the T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital Foundation to fund lifesaving equipment for the hospital's pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

The 2008 Chattanooga Dragon Boat Festival is organized by Dynamic Events and Management (www.racedragonboats.com), which is the host organizers of the 2010 U.S. National Dragon Boat Racing Championships.

Paddlers competing in the April 19 races at the Chattanooga Dragon Boat Festival. Photo, courtesy of Dynamic Events and Management.

The top division winners in the final round were:
Gold Division winner: Canoe Wong Fu (Tennessee Valley Canoe Club
Silver Division: Northwest Navigators (Northwest Georgia Bank)
Bronze Division: Southern Champion Tray

Boat Drummer Chattanooga, 2008. Photo, courtesy of Dynamic Events and Management.

Congratulations to the more than 1,000 paddlers who participated and for a great day on the water in front of a crowd of 7,000.

A dragon boat racing team Chattanooga, 2008. Photo, courtesy of Dynamic Events and Management.

According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the event incorporated Chinese cultural elements, including performances by the Organization for East Tennessee Chinese and Chinese American Organization. A kids area was be set up with temporary tattoos, a moon walk and balloon animals.

April 11, 2008 DC Festival Fully Booked, Earliest Date Ever

The 7th Washington DC Dragonboat Festival is fully booked for teams and is only accepting further registrations onto its waiting list according to festival organizers.

The festival, to be held May 17 and 18 on the Georgetown Waterfront at Thompsons Boat House and across from the Watergate, is sponsored by the Washington, D.C. Chinese Women's League Association. 1300 to 1500 novice and experienced paddlers, representing 50-60 teams, are expected to compete in 2 days of exciting and colorful racing along the Potomac River, according to the organizer's press release, which continues:

Boats will race in heats of 4 to 5 along 250 and 500 meter courses between the Kennedy Center and Thompson Boat Center. The racing is expected to begin at 9am and end at approximately 5pm on both days. Scheduled at noon on Saturday May 17th, the opening ceremonies will consist of a special Eye-Dotting Ceremony to awaken the dragon boats from their year long slumber and a Carnation Ceremony in honor of the Breast Cancer Survivors.

This year's festival features a special performance by 10 Taiwanese drummers. The group was established in 2000 and has performed more than 500 times around the world. Through an arrangement with the Taiwanese Economic and Cultural Representative Office, the group will be touring the US in May and will perform for the DC Dragon Boat Festival on Sunday May 18th as a part of the closing ceremonies. As in previous years, cultural performance and exhibits by local groups are also being scheduled throughout the weekend.

March 12, 2008 Dragon Boat Race Organizer to Buy BuK Boats

Dynamic Events & Management LLC moves into a new phase as part of its “Dragon Dream” business plan. We're buying dragon boats!

photo courtesy of Dynamic Events and Management LLC

“It's been a long time coming – at times a seemingly evasive dream – but we stayed with it and now it has come true!” says Penny Behling, Partner in DEM.

DEM secured a loan through the Area Wide Development Corporation - East Tennessee district, which believed in our dream! We are buying six of the best racing boats on the market - BuK. “This puts a whole new spin on our company and the direction we have seen it going for some time now,” continued Behling.

The BuK boats (dragon.de) are considered to be the best racing boats on the market and among the lightest. They are used by many national and international competitive squads.

Penny Behling of DEM doing something she loves – instructing on proper stroke for a dragon boat team in training
photo courtesy of Dynamic Events and Management LLC

Dragon Boat News asked why DEM decided to purchase the boats. Behling replied, “we have been needing boats to grow our business – we produce a number of festivals (Chatanooga, Knoxville, Charlston) and it makes business sense for us to be able to have the boats instead of renting. It also assures availability and allows us to use them for corporate team building and give teams extra practice sessions, also it allows us to rent them and generate extra income – including renting to other festivals &ndash we are the only US company we know of with BuK racing boats, and trailers.”

Each BuK boat cost approximately $10-$13k depending on how it is equipped.

Wendy Witsoe and Penny Behling of DEM. Can you tell they love dragon boat racing?
photo courtesy of Dynamic Events and Management LLC

Ms. Behling added this about her company, “DynaMic Events and Marketing is in the business of organizing races because we love it and love the community it brings. We are able to do what we love and grow both the races and our business. Besides these festivals we also do consulting to non–profit organizations, usually on fundraising and name recognition.”

November 28, 2007 Chattanooga Jumps to Top of 2008 Dragon Boat Race Calendar

Dynamic Events and Management (www.racedragonboats.com)announced the schedule of 4 festivals it will event manage in the 2008 season, up from 3 races the firm produced in 2007. In 2008, the race in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the second annual, will jump to the top of the race calendar, with a one day race festival set for April 19.

One of the 2007 races at Chattanooga

During a busy 2007 season, DEM produced festivals in three cities (Knoxville, Chattanooga and the Tri-Cities in Tennessee), 108 teams, at least 2,160 paddlers and more than $200,000 raised for charity. In 2007, DEM was granted the rights to host U.S. National Dragon Boat Racing Championships in 2010. Thanks to a reputation for producing a fair, well organized race, DEM has gotten attention in every venue.

Racers embark and disembark at Chattanooga, 2007

In addition to the first race in Chattanooga on April 19, The inaugural Charleston festival will be held early in the season (May 3), the 6th annual Knoxville festival will be held June 28 and the 3rd annual Tri-Cities festival will be held September 13.

“When the Charleston Metro Sports Council is approached with a new sports event idea, we use a checklist to assess the feasibility... Amazingly, the Charleston Dragon Boat Festival scores were ‘off the page.’” commented Kathleen Cartland, Executive Director, Charleston Metro Sports Council.

A drummer for a Dragon Boat at the 2007 Chattanooga Festival

You can see more photos of the 2007 Chattanooga Dragon Boat Festival at RE Smith Photo.

2008 Race Schedule Firming Up

The schedule of dragon boat races and festivals for 2008 is firming up with some changes. The Knoxville festival is moving up in the calendar from August to June, and several festivals which were 2 days in 2007 have expandd to 3 days. As always, let Dragon Boat News know about the races you are organizing or participating in!

September 16, 2007 Tri-Cities 2007 Dragon Boal Festival Raises $100K for Children's Hospital

The Johnson City Press (Johnson City, Tenn.) reports that the 2nd annual Tri Cities Dragon Boat Festival raised approximately $100,000 towards the construction of a Children's Hospital at the city medical complex.

Photo: Tri-cities Dragon Boat Festival/Dynamic Events LLC

Placing first in the gold heat with the title of grand champions was the Milligan College Buffaloes with a time of 1:12.98. 51 teams raced in 2007.

Photo: Tri-cities Dragon Boat Festival/Dynamic Events LLC

“Last year there were 31 teams that paddled,” said Marcy Walker, chairwoman of the capital campaign for the children's hospital. “This year we have 50. We'll easily do over $100,000. This is huge. This is probably the biggest event we've had in Johnson City since I've been living here.” Walker was paddling with the Drag-On Queens and the Mountain States Foundation teams.

August 27, 2007 Second Harvest Repeats as Grand Champions of the Knoxville Dragon Boat Races

In the 5th Annual Knoxville Dragon Boat Races, presented by ORNL Federal Credit Union, Second Harvest of East Tennessee repeated as Grand Champions.

The Second Harvest Dragon Masters bested 24 other teams to become Grand Champions. The non-profit hunger relief organization battled out the final race with the event beneficiary, Knox Area Rescue Ministries (the Unconditional Love Boat) after first finishing in a dead heat.

“Our Presenting sponsor, the ORNL Federal Credit Union called the event one of the greatest days of their lives,” said Wendy Witsoe of Dynamic Events & Management LLC, the event producer. “That is a great example of the kind of support we have here. Knoxville is really stamping its mark on dragon boating in our region.”

Paddlers racing in the event also collected more than $45,000 for Knox Area Rescue Ministries, which made the day a win for them after all. CH2MHill raised more than any other team in pledges, more than $10,000.

July 29, 2007 Record Crowds Attend 2007 Colorado Dragon Boal Festival

The 7th Annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, July 28-29, drew record crowds estimated at over 90,000 last weekend to Sloan's Lake in Denver. Fifty five race teams competed in the dragon boat races, with the Maestas Tae-Kwon Do Dungeonless Dragons defeating the Coors Dragon Slayers to win the inaugural Competitive Division series. In the Adult Recreation Division, the Flying Dragons claimed the championship, upsetting two-time champs Lao Buddhist Temple of Colorado. Third place went to NAAAP Colorado. The Lao Buddhist Temple of Colorado youth team won their fourth championship, defeating the Bohua Chinese School team.

Plans are already underway for the 2008 Colorado Dragon Boat Festival which will feature the American Dragon Boat Association Central Division Championships and international competition.

Photo: Kit Williams/Colorado Dragon Boat Festival

There were several new festival features in 2007. Explore Asia spotlighted the Mongolian, Filipino and Hmong cultures. Entertainers present at the CDBF on the SCFD Tier III Performing Arts stage, including the Shaolin Hung Mei Kung Fu Martial Arts Academy, Dwight Mark, the Wendy Woo Trio, international Mongolian performers Khongorzul and Munktuvshin. There were more than 80 marketplace vendors, who enticed festival guests with unique merchandise and ethnic delicacies.

Photo: Kit Williams/Colorado Dragon Boat Festival

June 17 2007 Alcan Dragon Boat Festival, Vancouver - Local Teams win big.

Anita Webster of the ADBF reports: As for results, we were thrilled that local teams did so well in the big races - the Competitive A Championship the AMPCO GRAFIX FCRCC Mixed A team placed first in 1:56.060. In the Open Division AMPCO GRAFIX FCRCC Men's A placed first in 1:56.980.

A race at the Alcan 2007 Dragon Boat Festival, Vancouver. Photo courtesy Alcan Dragon Boat Festival

See the racing tab on our website www.adbf.com - for full results.

Teams queued to embark. Photo courtesy Alcan Dragon Boat Festival

The Vancouver Sun reported there were 90,000 festival goers and 180 teams in the 2007 festival.

Alcan 2007 Fragon Boat Race Medallion. Photo courtesy Alcan Dragon Boat Festival

Got Dragon Boat Photos or Dragon Boat News?

Do you have photos of the Washington DC Dragon Boat Festival or other event? News of a club or team? Send it to us using our contact form.