Paddle pushers

Dragon boat racing makes waves, with Quebecers being among the world’s best

by ERIK LEIJON

The Two Abreast/Côté à Côté racing team could defeat you soundly in matching pink attire. Made up of female cancer survivors, the team is part of a new wave of dragon boat racers who are paddling the traditionally Asian sport to the mainstream.

“We’re showing there’s life after cancer… and some fun too,” says team member Lucie Laliberté, who had cancer two years ago. She had previous experience kayaking, but says that many of her teammates had “never done sports before.”

It may seem unusual for a semi-obscure sport such as dragon boat racing to be anyone’s first choice, but the Ville-Marie Oncology Centre recommends it to all women who pass through their doors, citing both the physical challenge and the teamwork.

Two Abreast/Côté a Côté has 40 members, and are looking to add a dozen new members to form two teams. Later this summer they’ll head to Australia to be part of the world championships, and the team has already travelled around the Northeast to participate in tournaments.

Chinese heritage

Elements of dragon boat racing’s Chinese heritage are still very apparent—each end of the boat still features the distinctive dragon head and tail designs. The sport’s origin dates back to 475-221 B.C., when, according to lore, the noble poet Qu Yuan, exiled from the kingdom, flung himself into the Miluo river in despair over what had happened to his homeland. Although the local fishermen failed to save him, their frantic paddling to his location unofficially became the first dragon boat race.

The 22 Dragons racing club has 1,000 members in Montreal, and is considered to be an “umbrella” organization, which represents both competitive and recreational teams. The “22” represents the number of people on each boat: 10 paddlers on each side, one steerer and a drummer to vociferously promote synchronization among paddlers. Matthew Smith, who coaches the men’s team, started participating in the sport in 1996 and in 2003 founded the 22 Dragons club with Matthew Robert.

According to Smith, dragon boat racing is still fighting for respect in Canada and is in the process of applying for official sport status from Sports Canada, which would give it much needed funding. Even though the Olympics will be taking place in Beijing in 2008, Smith says the sport will not be represented “because the Olympics are restricted by the number of athletes, and there are about 25 paddlers per team.”

Nevertheless, the sport is growing, as it appeals to different age groups and a wide demographic, including the unique teams that have blind racers and organ transplant survivors. Smith, who has had a paddle permanently wedged in his hand since the age of 12, for kayaking and canoeing, theorizes that the sport’s accessibility has little to do with the size of one’s paddle. “Dragon boat racing is so easy to do—it’s people working together, and it doesn’t matter how big or small you are.”

Fun but competitive

Easy as it might be, competitive athletes are also taking to the sport. The races are typically short and strenuous—the standard length is usually 500 metres, and a race lasts no more than a few minutes. The two main outdoor tracks are located at the Olympic Basin and on the Lachine Canal, but practises happen all year-round at the basin’s indoor facilities.

The Montreal Dragon Boat Club Women’s Team is currently the second-ranked team in the nation, and later this August has the chance to become Canada’s representative at the world championships. “There’s more interest from different communities. There are more paddlers trying out, there are more meets, there’s more winter training. It’s become more serious,” says team member Karine Doré, who has witnessed first-hand for the past six years the increased waves dragon boat racing has been making in the city.

“There’s a mix of fun and competitiveness—people don’t feel intimidated,” says Karen Highgate, Doré’s teammate and coach of the Wong Boat Racing Chargers’ team.

The constantly packed indoor training facility at the Olympic basin (each team only gets 45 minutes to practise due to high demand) proves Montreal has taken to this traditionally Chinese sport.

Smith says the sport has really clicked with Quebecers. “It used to be unknown amongst the French, but now they love it. It has a family feel that identifies well with the culture here.”

Anyone interested in picking up a paddle can check out www.22dragons.com. The 11th annual Montreal International Dragon Boat Race Festival will take place on July 22 and 23 at the Olympic Basin on Parc Jean- Drapeau. For complete event information, visit www.montrealdragonboat.com.