Anyone Else Dragon Boat Paddling

[Jilly]

I just wondered if anyone else was involved with a Dragon Boat crew. I started last year with a group from our gym at the local festival. Decided that it was a great workout and joined the local club this year. We've had 4 on water practices so far and I hurt. You counter-rotate the upper body to place the paddle in the water. Then uncoil to move the paddle through the water. Its not arm and shoulders but abs and back. So its my hips that hurt the most. (Except for were I fell getting out of the boat on Wednesday night. More war wounds, but nothing like someone elses, no stitches.) I've canoed all my life, and is this different.

 

[Kimmyt]

I was on a Dragonboat team with some of my coworkers a few years ago. Acutally, we were more of a Drinking team with a Dragonboat problem if you know what I mean (3 jello shots prior to your first race at 8 a.m. is not such a good idea ifuknowuttimene)

A bunch of the cyclists that I know through channels are really into dragonboating though, it is pretty fun and a good workout!

 

[NannyMin]

What is dragon boating?

 

[Jilly]

NannyMin - this is our local clubs website. https://www.bellevilledragonboatclub.com
No pictures yet in the gallery, but they will be coming.

 

[NannyMin]

NannyMin - this is our local clubs website. https://www.bellevilledragonboatclub.com
No pictures yet in the gallery, but they will be coming.

Thanks...it looks like fun!

 

[Native Vail Gal]

They have a big Dragon Boat Day here in Denver at Sloan's Lake! It looks like a LOT of fun!!!

 

[Jilly]

It is alot of fun. I kinda like Kimmyt's team idea, except that could make a loooong day. I used to belong to a ski club like that. But Dragon Boating is a great workout. Alot of corporations use it for team building too. I just wanted something different for this summer and I think the workout will be good for core muscle building.

 

[Jilly]

I mentioned in the Happy Birthday thread that I was in a large regetta in Toronto this weekend. Well we came in 41 out of 150 some teams. The team was made of from 14 women and 6 men. You are allowed a minimum of 8 women in a mixed crew. In our championship final we were up against teams from U of T engineering student, 2 junior crews from Toronto, and a bank team. Needless to say our average age for the crew is more like 40 than 25!! And most of those crews were with the minimum women. So the coaches were happy with the result, but we all wanted a medal! Dragon Boat paddling is a great core workout. We have a lady going to worlds later this month (in Sydney, Au!) as part of the Canadian senior team (over 40). She has lost 30 lbs of weight since she started 5 years ago. And OGD is she fit!! One more regetta later this month, but its the recreational team so not sure if I'm going to go. We keep up practices through September, but after that it gets too dark to early. This week it time to start thinking ski season and different muscle groups.

 

[Bayla]

Dragon boating...... my soon to be new obsession. And Jilly, I have you to thank!!! You posted something under a topic on what Divas do on the off season. I did a little research and went to an open house in the fall and joined up for the 2012 season a few weeks ago. We have access to the only indoor paddle pool in North America, our novice training starts next week. Now I've got two passions to keep me going year round.

 

[Jilly]

There is an indoor pool in Toronto run by Great White North. We just had a club meeting of last years members and we're going to have a competitive team this year, yeah!!! Haven't had one for 2 years. I need some new bling for my wall. On the water in 8 weeks or sooner, ice is out of the bay right now.

 

[Bayla]

Just an update on this topic. OMG! I finished my first season of my second favorite obsession - Dragon Boating!!!! I'm a paddleaholic. My team is Philadelphia Flying Phoenix and I have to say it is awesome. I don't have a mountain nearby, but I do have a river I can get to. We are a competitive team and train hard. Our ages range from 28 to 75! Average age of our best paddlers 48-63. I have a whole new perspective on aging. We are always underestimated as the "old ladies". Our competitive team almost always make the A Division and usually brings home bling. We beat Harvard in Peekskill, NY!!! In National Harbor, MD, we raced a 2000 meter against women AND MEN and won the gold. They never see it coming! Our coach went to Worlds Hong Hong this year and raced in the Women's Grand Masters (over 40) and Premier Mixed and also earned some bling. Our novice team a/k/a Neophyte Warriors, raced in the Philadelphia Festival yesterday and earned a bronze in the Womens Grand A Division. We lost the silver by 1/10 of a second. We would have been happy just to make the A division. Not bad for a bunch of first season chicks with sticks to get some bling against some seasoned experienced teams. Anyway, just wanted to share an awesome first year of a new sport I love which I found on this site! Ski Diva is awesome!

 

[Jilly]

I'm a paddleaholic

Or a paddling whore!! We finished our season last week and are now in the gym. Pool paddling after Christmas, so I'm going to have to give up a Sunday a month for that. Your crew sounds like ours for ages. But we can't seem to find men! Last race was 17 women and 3 men, one of which was our coach. We came in 3rd overall, 250m races and a 1.5K. Not enough water in the basin to do a 2000m. I just wish that paddling season went just a bit longer. I can overlap paddling and skiing in the spring with a trip to A Basin in May, but not in October. So here we sit till late November!

 

[Matoaka]

My sister organizes a paddle for breast cancer in July. It's called "Paddle for a Cure" and it's held near Schenectady, NY. There is a group of Dragon Boaters that come every year. They have a shot/drink named after them that tastes like juice. They are all survivors I think. It's a pretty special event, and every year my sis and her friend say it's gonna be the last but the turnout and the money raised always keeps them going for another year. If you look up Alplaus, NY "smallest zip code in the USA" and click on Paddle for a cue there is a picture of the boat and crew. I'm not sure if the event is planned for 2013 but keep an eye out Ya never know.

 

[Jilly]

Most of the large events I go to have a BCS teams, special races and a ceremony for them. We have a few survivors on our crews, but no longer one dedicated to them. I think its a great moral builder for these ladies, but lots of them do not want people to know they've had cancer.

We see BraveHeart out of Burlington Vermont at lots of festivals in our area.

 

[Matoaka]

Most of the large events I go to have a BCS teams, special races and a ceremony for them. We have a few survivors on our crews, but no longer one dedicated to them. I think its a great moral builder for these ladies, but lots of them do not want people to know they've had cancer.

We see BraveHeart out of Burlington Vermont at lots of festivals in our area.

 

[Jilly]

Thought I bring back this thread to show you these:

 

[Jenny]

Congrats! Did you have a good time?

 

[Jilly]

Yes, even in that heat. Lots of Covid though. Think our crew is now at 1/4 + Covid people. Protocol now for vaccinated is 5 days quarantine. When there is a negative test, you're out, but must mask for another 5 days. I'm testing negative so far and no symptoms. We shared a huge tent with other teams. I found it really stuffy in there and sort of stayed out of it except when we had be there for something. In sun there was a breeze blowing.

 

[scandium]

How awesome! Congratulations to your team, hope no one is too unwell.

 

[Jilly]

Out of 20 women team, 6 tested +. One during the event. Been testing everyday and still negative.
Canadian nationals coming up the 18th.