Dragon Boats Race At Penrith

MEDIA RELEASE

Dragon Boats Return to Penrith on Sunday

Dragon boat racing will return to the Sydney International Regatta Centre (SIRC) on Sunday 13 December for race three of the 2009/10 season.

Clubs from Sydney and regional New South Wales will race for honours over 500 metres in a test of fitness and endurance.

"The first two races have seen some fantastic results from NSW clubs," said Steven Davidson, President of Dragon Boats NSW.

"Many clubs have significantly stepped up their training efforts, which have led to exciting finishes across all the categories.

This weekend's racing at Penrith will be the last regatta before Christmas and an opportunity for teams to flex their muscles before the Central Coast regatta at Tacoma in January and Chinese New Year racing at Darling Harbour in February."

Clubs will compete in races for mixed, women's and opens' categories. Racing starts at 8am and spectators are invited to visit the home of Olympic water sports to see the spectacle of dragon boats on the water.

About Dragon Boats NSW and dragon boating

Dragon Boats NSW is the governing body for dragon boating in New South Wales and a member of the Australian Dragon Boat Federation (AusDBF). Dragon Boats NSW has 45 member clubs residing in all corners of the state from Byron Bay in the North to Merimbula in the South and Dubbo in the West.

Dragon boating is an exciting water sport with boats of up to 20 paddlers, a drummer, and a steerer working in unison to compete in both sprint and long distance races (200m to 2000m ).

With over 2000 years of history originating in China, dragon boating is steeped in tradition. Each boat has an ornately carved dragon's head at the bow, and a dragon's tail at the stern. The hulls are painted with dragon scales and the paddles symbolically represent the claws of the dragon. This creates a colourful spectacle on the water. Dragon boat festivals will often feature 'eye dotting' ceremonies to bless and awaken the dragon within!

Dragon boating is unique in its ability to attract a broad demographic, with members from varying cultural and occupational backgrounds. It caters to participants across all ages and levels of fitness, from juniors and youth to grand dragons (members aged over 50).

As one of the fastest growing sports in Australia, dragon boating suits serious, corporate and casual paddlers. Prospective paddlers and media organisations can visit Dragon Boats NSW website (www.dbnsw.org.au) for more information.

Media contact:
Melanie Cantwell
Business Manager, Dragon Boats NSW
Mob: 0418 480 731
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Dragon Boats NSW Inc