Dragon Boat
Dragon boat racing is a race to complete a clearly specified unobstructed course in the least amount of time. There are two classes that participate in this discipline: 10-seater and 20-seater, which refer to the number of paddlers in the boat. Paddlers sit side by side and use a single-bladed paddle. Both classes will have a drummer and a steerer, and everyone in the boat will paddle to the beat of the drum.
Dragon boats have ancient Chinese origins that extend back over 2,000 years. The very first participants were Chinese villagers who organised races on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month of the Chinese calendar in the hope of showing respect to the dragon, a traditional symbol of water in Asia, and therefore encouraging the rains required for prosperity and avoiding misfortune. Dragon boats gained popularity after the death of great poet Qu Yuan in 278 BC. He committed suicide in the Miluo River as a protest against corruption. Locals went out on their fishing boats to try to save him, beating drums and splashing oars in the water to keep fish away from his body. His death is marked by a dragon boat festival (Duanwu Festival) each year.
Dragon boats are designed to resemble the classic dragon, which had the head of an ox, antlers of a deer, mane of a horse, body of a python, claws of a hawk, and fins and tail of a fish. As a result, the bow is crafted as the head of a dragon, the stern as the tail, the hull painted with scales, and the paddles representing the claws. The Hong Kong International Races, which were first staged in 1976, are widely regarded as the beginnings of modern dragon boat racing.
The International Canoe Federation (ICF) recognises three official race distances: 200 or 250 metres, 500 metres, and 2000 metres. The 2000m is run as a pursuit race, with two laps of the 500m course and three corners. Events are held for men’s, women’s, and mixed teams. The mixed team must have at least eight women (four in the 10-seater class).
The most recent world championships were held in Lake Lanier, Gainesville, USA, in 2018. There were a total of 90 races, including heats and finals for junior, senior, and masters segments. Germany won the most medals (16), followed by the host country, the United States, who won eight. The Philippines won five gold medals. The world championships featured 13 countries. The 2020 ICF dragon boat world championships are scheduled to take place on Bilawali Lake in Indore, India.