2013 Salford Dragon Boat FestivalHelp cheer on the teams
12 May 2013
About:
Free for spectators - come and help cheer on the teams.
10:30 - Race 1 Starts
12:45 - Race 2 Starts
14:00 - Race 3 Starts
15:10 - Final Race
15:20 - Award ceremony and prize giving
15:30 - Festival End
Racing the whole length of Ontario Dock in Salford, each team will be given a minimum of three timed races during the day before the selection for the Grand Final Race is done. This gives the teams ample time to work with the instructors and use dragon boating as a way to develop the team and improve their times.
Dragon Boating is a sport that started in China some 2,000 years ago and came to the UK in 1996. Originally introduced as a community sports activity, it has now developed into an exciting high adrenaline team sport where teams of up to seventeen people (sixteen paddlers and a drummer) work together in unison in order to get their boat down the course and over the finishing line as fast as possible.
Dragon boating is quick to pick up and very progressive in nature and most importantly, no previous experience is necessary as full training and ongoing instruction is given on the day. For this reason, it is ideal as both a charity fund raising activity and for Corporate Events / team building. Unlike raft races, you don't build your own dragon boat (these are brought in on the day) and the helms on the boats are provided. The helms each have extensive dragon boating experience (often ten years or more) and each want their team to win their race! The day finishes with an award ceremony where specially cast dragon boat medals are presented to each member of the top three teams.
