Date & Location
Dragon Boats: Saturday and Sunday, May 12 & 13, 2012 10:00AM until approx. 4:30PM
Registration is done at the “Catwalk”, Centennial Park, Park Dr, Petawawa.
Please register at Centennial Park as above, but practice and racing is held on the flatwater of the Ottawa River at Petawawa Point Beach.
Note:Your team’s practice times will be assigned to you when you register. The registration desk will be open from 7:00 until 13:00 on Saturday. Sunday’s race times will be provided on Saturday. We know it is Mother’s Day and will wrap up well in time for dinner. Love you Mom!
Registration
Register via e-mail to hohwpetawawa@hotmail.com or use the registration page on this website: here.
Note: Registering online is MANDATORY for dragon boat teams. If you do not yet know all your team members, but are committed to putting in a team, please register as we do expect the boats to fill quickly.
All participants must come to the registration table on arrival the day of the event in order to sign the necessary waivers, and get assigned your times.
Cost
Dragon boats hold a maximum of 21 people (20 paddlers and one drummer. HOHW will supply the cox.). Team entry into the dragon boat race is $1000 / team or approximately $45 per person. This covers insurance and operating costs, with any proceeds going to the charities. Feel free to make a larger donation if you like.
We will have shirts available for purchase, and again, proceeds go to charity.
Payment
Cash or cheques can be brought to the registration table at Centennial Park (Park Dr, Petawawa) the morning of the event. If you prefer to pay in advance, let us know via e-mail to HOHWPetawawa@hotmail.com.
What the heck is dragon boat racing?
A dragon boat team consists of 20 paddlers sitting two abreast, plus a Cox who steers the dragon boat from the rear and a drummer who sits at the front. The team of paddlers work in unison to propel the boat forwards from a standing start, the aim being to reach the finish line in the fastest time. Races can be a wide range of distances, wlthough the HOHW Dragon Boat race will be roughly 200 metres.
Teams can be all men, all women, or mixed crews. Timing, strength and endurance are three key elements of a successful team, the fourth and most critical is teamwork. It is for this reason that the sport has achieved such a high profile around the world. Dragon boat festivals are widely popular across Canada and around the world. In fact, the Ottawa Dragon Boat festival has over 150 teams that participate each year.
Spectacular for both participants and spectators alike, dragon boating is the fastest growing aquatic sport in the world. Adrenaline pumping and fiercely competitive, or just good fun with friends, everyone is encouraged to “have a go” in this exciting sport that epitomizes team spirit. No experience is needed and all equipment is provided.
Dragon boating has a really interesting history. For more on this exciting sport, visit Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_boat
Format
Teams will register at Catwalk, then assemble at the Petawawa Point Beach. An experienced dragon boater will be assigned to each team to help guide you through the basics and get you on the water.
Saturday will be strictly practice. Learn the strokes, get your timing down and get comfortable in tghe boat and with the format.
Sunday will be the actual race, with an expected three races per team. The course is approximately 200 metres long, and the experienced teams will cover that distance in a real hurry. The HOHW event, is purely for fun, so don’t worry about the details, and just come try a great new sport. Bring your mom!
1630 – Last Call (Saturday)
$10 buys you dinner, awards and an after party at the Great Canadian WareHouse located on Petawawa Blvd just near the the bridge you paddle under, right in town. Good food, kayak movies, cold beers and good friends. Great view of Railroad. Stick around. Its a blast.
Dragon boat races are proudly supported by:
