Welcome to the 2017 Season!
The 2017 season has officially begun this past weekend! I hope you all had a restful off season because we’re going to start off this season strong. We’re starting up our post practice land workouts on Saturdays and Sundays so don’t forget to bring your water and yoga mats! Special boat is scheduled to start up once again in March.
2017 Racing Schedule
We are currently planning to go to six tournaments this year, and the schedule will be posted below. Our mid year race hasn’t been finalized yet, but it’s been narrowed down to two options. Same with our last race of the year, so stay tuned!
Races
Where: Tempe, Arizona
When: March 25-26
With the exception of last year, Tempe has been our season opening race for the last 10 years. The weather is usually warm and dry, and we'll be able to race teams from all along the West Coast! It's a fun tournament featuring Mixed, Open, Women's, and Masters division races. Now that Tempe has been moved back to its original schedule, we're looking forward to having it as our first race of the year again.
Bonus: Rebel BBQ (delicious food stop halfway to Tempe)
Where: Long Beach, California
When: April 23
Also known as "Baby Long Beach", this is a local race open to the year-round teams as well as college teams around California. It's a one-day tournament at Marine Stadium featuring Mixed races only, but also has a 200m knockout tournament in the afternoon. It's a great race for newbies and vets alike, as the race is low commitment because it's here at home and only one day!
Mid-Year Race, more to come, but possible options are:
Nevada International Dragon Boat Festival (May 20-21 in Las Vegas, Nevada)
Concord Pacific Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival (June 23-25 in Vancouver, Canada)
Where: Long Beach, California
When: July 29-30
This is our big local race where teams fly in from around the country (plus usually one or two teams from China). It's a big two day tournament with lots of divisions, including High School and Corporate. For any vets looking on to help spread the joy of paddling, there are always opportunities to help coach and/or steer for these "festival teams" leading up to the tournament (inquire with the captains & coaches). There are vendor booths and a performance stage, and (usually) beautiful beach weather!
Where: Busan, Korea
When: TBD
For our big travel race for the year, we're looking to go to Korea! This will be a first time for Space Dragons as we go to Korea to compete internationally. We'll be testing out new waters here, so it should definitely be an exciting experience.
End of Year Race, potential options:
Northern California International Dragon Boat Festival (September 23-24 in Lake Merritt, Oakland)
San Diego International Dragon Boat Race (September 30 - October 1 in San Diego, California)
With these six races, it should be a fun and full season! Coming up next, goals and training!
