Dragon Boating
Have you ever heard of dragon boating? It's a tradition that originated in China but now people from all over the world get involved including kids. We spoke to some of them at the Club Crew World Championships to find out more about their unique sport.
AMELIA MOSELEY, REPORTING: From up here, this looks like a regular rowing regatta. But get a little closer, and you can see it's a whole lot more fierce.
TASH: I love racing! Especially in the 200s, because it's a really aggressive and powerful sport.
Just like rowing, dragon-boating involves paddling through the water at high speeds. But there are a few big differences, besides the dragon, of course.
ISAAC: Rowing is sorta you're pulling backwards and you have your paddle sidewards. Whereas dragon-boating is more up and you gotta drive down.
There can be up to 20 paddlers in a team, so there's a drummer to keep them all in sync.
ISAAC: So I'm a drummer. I have to hit the drum with the drum stick and keep everyone in time.
There's also the all-important sweep, who controls the boat and decides when the team needs to pick up the pace.
SOPHIE: So I'm the sweep so I stand just at the back of the boat and I steer, so we don't run into other lanes and I make the calls as well, so I call the ups throughout the race.
Dragon-boating originated in China before it became a competitive sport. And because you can be aged 12 all the way to 60 to compete, lots of families get involved.
These junior teams from Sydney and Canberra are here in Adelaide for the Club Crew World Championships, so they're competing against some of the best dragon-boaters in the world!
SOPHIE: You get so many opportunities to travel! So like we're from Canberra and we get to come up to Adelaide, I think last year it was in China.
BEN: You can get to higher levels since there aren't as many people like there are in soccer or rugby. That's why I joined as well, so I can get more medals!
They reckon more kids should join the club.
ISAAC: I like meeting new people, so I've made a lot of good friends that I wouldn't have met without dragon-boating and it's also just a really fun sport.
TASH: It's a very, very team sport! Very, very team oriented, yeah definitely!
And there's plenty of team spirit to go 'round.
SOPHIE: So every club has their chants and we do them when we're in marshalling. It less of an intimidation thing, it's just more of just a group spirit thing and it's really nice to see everyone coming together!
BEN: After my first regatta, I came home and I had to have like three lozenges cause my throat was hurting from all the cheering. It was very hard.
CREW: We love BtN!
- Amelia Moseley | Reporter
- History and Culture: International Dragon Boat Federation | weblink
- Dragon boat racing at West Lakes as Adelaide prepares for world and national championships: ABC News | weblink
- Dragon boat racing: What you need to know about this ancient sport: ABC News | weblink
- Australia:SA | Map
- Read/Submit Comments