Dragonboat Rowing: A New Kind of Adventure

The Manila Ocean Park became a venue for a cheerful spectacle March 28.
The 2nd Manila Ocean Park (MOP) Dragonboat Regatta was held from 7 a.m. up to 5 p.m. at the concourse area where admission was free.

It was literally a colorful scene. With 18 participating teams, the entire place was filled with paddlers in their respective uniforms. Even the oars provided visual awe. Some had stickers on it. Others had an entirely different color far from the usual wooden paddle.

Whenever a race started, one could not help but be amazed at how the dragonboats were brought to life by human power. The synchronized movements of the paddlers together with the beat of the drums were blissful to witness.
No matter how far the crowd was from the paddlers, supporters and teammates cheered all the way for their teams. The solidarity of each team was evident.
The regatta deviated from the usual 250-meter distance category. Instead, the course was 300 meters. Some paddlers say the 50-meter difference is a big deal.

Winners of the race received medals, plaques, and MOP Oceanarium tickets. Following are the official race results.


Other teams included Manila Blazing Paddles, Manila Ocean Park, Maharlika Drakon, Blue Phoenix, Lufthansa Technik Philippines, Manila Dragons, UP Dragonboat Team, Rowers Club Philippines, PYROS (Philippine Youth Rowing Society), Manila Wave Paddlers Club, One Piece Drakon Sangres, and Aqua Fortis.


Heat 2, Men’s division: PDRT Fireblades surprises everyone by being the first to reach the finish line despite being left behind in the earlier part of the course.


Aside from the MOP, the race was sponsored by Pik-Nik, Iberet Multivitamins, Life House Drugstore, Natrapharm, and Pocari Sweat.


Origins
Dragonboat racing has become a famous sport, though it is not yet included in the Olympics.

As early as 2000 years ago, dragonboats were already common in China but were not used for racing purposes. The Chinese celebrate the Duanwu festival where they row dragonboats as part of their rituals. Later on, dragonboats were adopted in nearby countries like Malaysia and Singapore. As the popularity of dragonboats boomed, paddling these boats for races became a new sport.


Equipment and Player Roles
Basically, a team needs a dragonboat and each member must have his or her own oar.

A standard dragonboat can carry 20 pairs at most. The front of a dragonboat is decorated with a dragon’s head. At the rear is a dragon’s tail.

Oars of the best quality can be found at China or Singapore. For beginners, it is recommended to use the wooden oar. By the time they have mastered the sport, they can use the carbon fiber oar. It is a lot lighter than the wooden one so the result is maximum power while rowing.

Players are seated by pairs. The leading pairs are usually the first two pairs known as the pacers. The most skilled players are appropriate for this role since they are responsible for setting the whole team’s timing.

Near the head of the dragonboat is the drummer. This person does the crucial role of providing the beats, depending on whether the team should accelerate or decelerate. A drummer is just like a conductor in an orchestra.

At the end of the boat is the steerer who manipulates the boat’s direction. During competitions, he or she is responsible for keeping the boat at the center of their lane because otherwise, the team would be disqualified.


In the Philippines
Dragonboat racing was introduced in the Philippines sometime during 1980s. Among the early pioneering teams were Manila Dragons, Aqua Fortis, Philippine Dragonboat Rowing Team, and PYROS.

Training schedules are usually set by the Philippine Dragonboat Federation (PDBF). Customarily, these trainings are done at Manila Bay near CCP Complex. Trainings can be as early as 5:30 a.m. They often last for two hours.


Manila Dragons: Up-close
The Manila Dragons Dragonboat Rowing Team was founded 1985.

Right now, they are being trained by Augusto “Agot” L. Dakila. Coach Agot was once a member of the Philippine National Rowing Team from 1991-2000. He also used to train the Philippine Navy Rowing Team and the Philippine Women’s Dragon Team.

According to him, the asset of Manila Dragons is their companionship. The team’s camaraderie doesn’t end when a competition comes to a close. Through their frequent trainings every Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the team is able to radiate a special kind of bond with each other. This is enough to keep the team alive for almost 25 years.



Using hard strokes, the Manila Dragons exert their maximum effort to keep up the fight.



The team is a motley crew of doctors, lawyers, housewives, call center employees, restaurant owners and cancer survivors.


Interested?
Joining a team is easy. The only requirement is a willingness to learn. Age doesn’t matter in this sport. For those below 18 yrs. old, only a waiver signed by the parents is needed.

One can always check out the websites of the existing teams. Majority of these teams are always open for recruitment. Just contact the person in charge and join them in their trainings.

Aside from being a form of recreation, the sport is also a form of exercise. A lot of paddlers say they became more fit during the course of the training.
Now that summer has arrived, trying this sport may almost be the same as going to the beach, only nearer because the training is done in the city.