building boat racing in Foster City
The Bay Area Dragons and their captivating boats will be back on the lagoon at Foster City's Leo J. Ryan Park on Saturday for the boat club's BAD Novice Sprints.
With prowess and intensity, participants will paddle up a storm during the celebration of dragon boat racing and its inexperienced and competitive-level athletes.
"Seeing dragon boats fly down the lagoon is quite the sight to behold," says Emmie Yang, president of the Bay Area Dragon Boat Foundation, BAD's nonprofit organization.
"Most other cities and states do not have such a large, dedicated novice festival and focus mainly on competitive races," Yang says, describing the special nature of Saturday's race.
Dragon boat racing features teams of paddlers speeding side by side in long narrow canoe-like boats. Crews of 22 consist of 20 paddlers, one steerer and one drummer. Each short race, or sprint, usually lasts less than two minutes.
Teamwork is the star ingredient. Show-offy hotshots have no place in dragon boat races.
The sport dates back to China's southern Guangdong Province more than 2,000 years ago, when dragon boats were part of folk and religious rituals.
The boat races have also been traced back to the ancient Olympic games of Greece.
In 1976, in Hong Kong, modern dragon boat racing was born.
Although the materials have changed—fiberglass has replaced wood as the primary ingredient—the boats have retained their distinctive Chinese folkloric look. Their decorative design includes serpentine patterns and dragon heads with bulging eyes and formidable jaws.
In current times and on local shores, BAD games stand out for the attention they give to novice paddlers, recognizing them as highly capable, enthusiastic and deserving the spotlight.
Yang describes the upcoming BAD Novice Sprints as an "additional event this year with a new race format to spice things up."
Yang defines a sprint as the "shortest type of dragon boat race," adding, "It is a 200-meter adrenaline rush!"
In comparison, BAD's standard novice race is 300 meters for beginner teams. A standard dragon boat race is 500 meters for competitive teams.
Saturday's event will contain both corporate/novice and competitive divisions.
"This way, the corporate teams will be able to watch and enjoy competitive races," Yang says.
Thirty-two paddling teams — 19 novice teams and 13 competitive teams — will participate, Yang says.
While most of the novice teams represent corporate entities, a few community groups — the Lions Club, a Hong Kong independence club, a running club — are on the slate as well, Yang says.
For safety and fairness, BAD provides people who steer and drummers, along with equipment and two free practice sessions, for the novice participants.
Spectators are very welcome at the event, which is free to the public, Yang says. Festivities will include live music and food trucks.
A late-afternoon awards presentation follows the race.
Yang describes the event's location, Leo J. Ryan Memorial Park, as "viewer-friendly for racers and spectators alike."
"The park has a wide, open boardwalk that allows spectators to view the whole lagoon, so you can watch a dragon boat race from the start to the finish with no obstructions," she says.
The Bay Area Dragon Boat Foundation is a Foster City–based, community-focused volunteer-run nonprofit, and its Bay Area Dragons are the oldest dragon boat club in the region.
Its competitive teams have competed in races around the world.
More than 1,000 people — race participants, plus friends, family members, and spectators — typically attend BAD race events, Yang says.
"Our philosophy is to share our passion for this unique sport, to promote this Asian cultural event in the Bay Area, and to support wellness and mental well-being by sharing this sport with companies and schools in our community," Yang says.
The organization offers coaching services, team-building events and general support for the dragon boating community. It has a youth team.
BAD races have no sponsors; funding comes from membership fees, tax-deductible donations and race entry fees. Partial proceeds from race fees are donated to Alzheimer's research.
Yang attributes the appeal of dragon boat racing to factors including that it's a "forgiving" sport: "You don't need to train from a young age to be eligible to join a team for competition," she says.
It's also good exercise, and more affordable than crew, rowing or fencing, she adds.
Participants also enjoy the sport's teamwork and feeling of community it offers: "People who used to be socially shy find the dragon boat community welcoming," she says, adding, "Families can get involved together."
Also, "We try to provide the outlet to relieve the stress and isolation that working professionals may feel in this age of remote work," Yang says.
Asked whether the International Olympic Committee will make dragon boat racing an official Olympic sport, Yang says, "It's been a tough, long debate with the IOC."
"The hurdles include team size, logistics and costs," she says. "Hopefully, someday soon, the Olympic Committee can see a path for inclusion."
