Dragon Boat

Dragon Boat competition in Long Beach, Ca -8/1/10 -8/2/10

The Southern California Dragon Boat Club hosts a 2 day dragon boat race in Long Beach, attracting over 70 teams from all over the U.S., Canada and Asia . This is a very important competition for the team and they have been working all year round to attend this competition.

The drummer or callers may be considered the "heartbeat" of the dragon boat, and leads the crew throughout a race with the rhythmic beating of a drum to indicate the timing and frequency of paddling strokes. The caller may issue commands to the crew through a combination of hand signals and voice calls, and also generally exhorts the crew to perform at their peak. A caller/drummer is mandatory during racing events, but if he or she is not present during training, it is typical for the steerer to direct the crew.

The correct course for each boat is a straight line from its starting position to the finish line. Each boat must remain in its correct lane and must not interfere with other boats.

In one of the race Kevin's team did not stay on a straight line and was penalized 20 seconds but they still won 1st place.

Rowing, rowing.....The first boat you see, with the white and black scales is Mountain View's dragon boat team (Kevin's team).

This is how the strokes are broken down: 1. The "catch" at the front of the 60 degree negative angle allows the paddlers to bury their blade deep in the water. 2. The "pull" stage generates the power to move the boat, most often by using the strong muscles of the back to propel the boat beyond the paddle. 3. The "release" or "return" is the final stage of the stroke. To release, the outside arm should slightly bend and the blade should release to the top of the stroke. It is important for the blade to return as vertically as possible, with the top hand staying outside the boat. Each of these components of the stroke are equally important and must be done in synchronization with the paddle across and in front. If done correctly, all paddles will be in time with the lead strokes.

Having fun with the sand. I think they are burying each other.

Now that the race is behind them, the kids goofing around and being rowdy with each other. Trying to throw each other in the water.