Forming a Team
Teams must consist of at least 20 to 25 members: 20 paddlers, 4 alternates, 1 drummer. No prior experience required! Just bring your enthusiasm and bathing suit. The steersperson is provided by the event manager.
To qualify as a student team, there must be at least 11 students age 18 or under paddling in the boat at any one time.
Each team gets to participate in a racing how-to seminar, two hours of practice time, and a minimum of two races.
Each race is on a 220-meter straight course.
Racing divisions will be determined from the combined times of the morning and afternoon races.
The teams will be ranked according to combined times and then grouped into three competitive divisions with an equal number of teams in each division.
The three fastest teams in each division will have the opportunity to race each other for their division championship.
In addition to crowning the festival champion, there will be
recognition of winners in various categories including, friends and family, service clubs, financial institutions, all-women, and others if there are sufficient entries to have a category.
No equipment is necessary; everything will be supplied. Just bring your team!
Joining a Team
A dragon boat team can be formed from any group of people: colleagues, neighbors, friends, members of an organization, etc. A group of breast cancer survivors in Vancouver, Canada formed a dragon boat team called Abreast in a Boat, inspiring similar teams in many other locations. Be creative in forming a team--it's a great experience for everyone involved.
If you want to become a paddler, but don't have a team to join, we have a waiting list from which we will coordinate a team or fill in other teams. Let us know of your interest by email: info@dragonboatupstate.org, or call 864.331.6300 and leave message for Dragon Boats.
Team Challenges
Fundraising is a major team challenge. Every paddler can help raise money for the cause. Most teams raise another $2000 or more from supportive friends or matching donations. Special awards go to the top fundraising team!
“Challenge Classes” are teams from a similar background that compete against each other for the best time in their class. The team with the fastest time in each challenge class will receive an award. Awards will also be given to the first-, second- and third-place teams in each of the divisions of competition.
Please review the different racing categories.
Information and Ideas
Teams first do exercises to warm up.
The boats are about 42 feet long, 3.5 feet wide, and weigh about 550 pounds.
It will take about 2-3 minutes to complete the race.
The front paddlers are the main focal point of the boat; everyone paddles off their lead. That is where you get your major timing and speed. The drummer gets the cadence off the lead paddlers. The noise gets the team motivated, and spectators get excited about the race.
If the team spirit is high and your synchronization is like a well-oiled machine, with everyone in sync, you will be a winner.
The start of the race can make or break the race. The idea is to have 8 fast choppy strokes to get your boat up on plane. After 20 strokes, you should have the speed so you can sit back into a mode to pull you through the middle of the race until the end. You should have enough energy to do a short sprint to the finish line.
You will want to practice your "power counts" together. This is where you get your technique and timing down. It's done by keeping in sync with the lead paddlers and counting with them, 1 to 10, all in a strong cadence. You keep counting 1 through 10 faster and faster until you get to a speed that you want to carry through the center of the course, leaving some energy for your final sprint. The drummer takes the cadence off the lead paddlers to maintain a smooth stroke in the middle part of the race.
The strokes you take with the paddle can be quick and shallow, or longer and deeper. You will want to determine when to use each, and for how long, depending on your overall strategy. The placement of your inside elbow can make a difference in the power of your stroke, as will your hand placement.
Some teams come up with a "team chant" in order to build team spirit.
Some teams sing a song like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" to practice their timing together as well as building a team spirit and camaraderie.
You might want your own flag for the "Parade of Teams."
For those teams that raise additonal money, a team t-shirt and event lawn chairs (provided by event manager, based on your artwork and design) builds camaraderie.
Some teams use a catchy name for their team name.
Remember, the real goal is having fun, paddling together and raising money for our community.
Enjoy! And paddle as if your life depends on it!
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