Saturday 20th June 2026
Peterborough Rowing Club, Thorpe Meadows, Peterborough PE3 6LN
Check out the Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival Facebook page! Follow the latest news about the event, including updates on teams entered!
Please read all the information below as it has lots of important detail included about the event, what it involves, what to expect and important safety information for you and your team.
We can’t wait to see you all on Saturday 20th June 2026!
The event is in aid of Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. If you can please donate any amount you can, as it all makes a massive difference! Let’s make this year bigger and better than the last.
This button is linked directly to the festival fundraising page and will count towards the total raised from the day!
Got questions? email: dragonboatevents@newwave-events.co.uk or call 01536 674 748
Team Names – Please confirm your team name on the entry portal by latest Friday 29th May. Teams that fail to confirm it by this date will be given their company name as their team name.
Boat Logos – If you are a gold or a silver entry you have a boat logo included in your entry*. Please ensure these are uploaded onto the entry portal by latest Monday 1st June.
*unless you have been told otherwise and have been refunded.
Souvenir Programme Adverts – If you are a gold entry you have a full page advert included in your entry. Please ensure these are uploaded onto the entry portal by latest Monday 1st June.
Sizes width x height
Full page 148.5 x 210mm
Half page 148.5 x 105mm
Quarter page 74.25 x 105mm
For inside covers add 20% and back cover add 25%
File formats
Ideally we require a high resolution print-ready PDF file with crop marks and 3mm of bleed
Image resolution should be 300dpi for photos or drawings with scaling no more than 120%
Fonts should be embedded into the pdf or set to outline in your application
Safe area – any text or important items should be 3-5mm inside the edge of your document
All teams must hand in a completed Acknowledgment of Risk Form prior to racing on the day of the event. This must be completed in full with all participants names and signatures. Please do not email this to us beforehand, bring it with you on the day.
There is also a ‘Crew Info’ sheet below that is optional to fill in for commentary purposes on the day.
The Race Schedule will be available here from W/C 8th June 2026
You can access live results & souvenir programme on the day – QR code will be available nearer the time.
1. The Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival is open to all. Previous experience of Dragon Boat Racing is not necessary to enter a crew but all crew members must be water confident whilst wearing a buoyancy aid in cold water. Competitors under 18 years must supply parental consent in writing to the Race Organisers and all competitors must be over 16 years old. All competitors must wear a buoyancy aid (provided by the event organisers) and be entered on the Crew List they are racing for, to validate their public liability insurance cover.
2. Equipment – All boats, necessary equipment for racing and buoyancy vests are supplied. Only paddles provided by the organisers are permitted.
3. Race Results – All race results, apart from the semi-finals and final, will be based on times. Each crew will receive three races, weather permitting, and their fastest two times will count. The twelve crews with the fastest times go through to the semi-finals. From the three semi-finals the winning crews and fastest loser will proceed to the Grand Final.
4. Boats & Race Course – Each crew will get the opportunity to race in a different boat and racing lane in each heat to ensure complete fairness. The race distance will be approximately 200m.
5. Prizes – The Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival trophy will be awarded to the overall winning crew and medals will be presented to the top three crews. Trophies will also be awarded to the second, third & fourth placed crews plus the top mixed crew (minimum 5 ladies), the ‘best dressed’ crew and the crew providing evidence on the day of raising the most money for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. The team raising the most money for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice will be awarded the charity trophy and receive a special 15-hole Crazy Golf experience at Glo Golf Peterborough. Enjoy a game against your colleagues at this fantastic glow in the dark experience. Visit www.glogolf.co.uk or tel 01733 215 683
1. NewWave Events are the Event Organisers for the day and all questions relating to the dragon boat racing programme and organization of the event should be directed to them.
2. Boat Helms (Steerers) – All crews will be allocated a Helm for each race by the Chief Boat Marshall. The Helm will automatically become the Boat Captain once the crew is ready for loading and all crew members should take instruction from the Helm and NOT their own Crew Manager whilst racing.
3. Qualifications – All Steerers/Helms and Race Officials are provided by the Race Organisers and are fully qualified using the BDA standards as a minimum qualification for this type of event.
VENUE ADDRESS – PETERBOROUGH ROWING CLUB, PETERBOROUGH, PE3 6LN
Parking available:
Onsite parking managed by security.
Orton Mere – Driving & walking route to overflow car park at Orton Mere
Thorpe Hall Hospice – Walking route from Thorpe Hall Hospice parking to Peterborough Rowing Club
If you need to drop off belongings for your team, please arrive early to park onsite. Be sure to bring a trolley or enough helpers to carry everything, as access to the back car park is no longer available due to the new café construction. Additionally, driving on footpaths is strictly prohibited.
Please note that we do not have any parking arrangements at the Dragonfly Hotel this year, so parking there is at your own risk.
Whether in the last months, weeks or days of life, or living with grief, Sue Ryder helps people live the best life they possibly can. Sue Ryder is there when it matters.
Last year, the charity provided palliative care to thousands of families across the country, including from Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice here in Peterborough – the only specialist palliative care inpatient in the city – as well as a Hospice at Home service for patients who prefer to receive palliative care at home.
The Peterborough Sue Ryder hospice also offer complementary for people living with a life-limiting condition and bereavement support, which is also available from a number of Sue Ryder Grief Kind Spaces across the region and Sue Ryder’s Online Bereavement Support.
Sue Ryder relies on its incredible supporters to help raise crucial funds for its care, at a time where demand for their services are increasing. Your support will help Sue Ryder continue to deliver its expert and compassionate care and be there for families at the most difficult times of their lives.
Please speak to the hospice’s fundraising team to find out how you can make your time in the dragon boat count.
 | Tel: 01733225999 E-mail: thorpe.fundraising@sueryder.org Visit: www.sueryder.org/thorpehall Facebook/SueRyderThorpeHallHospice Twitter@SRThorpeHall Reg charity no: 1052076 |
All crews are encouraged to raise money for the Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival charity Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice using the on-line giving information. All the fees from standard entries go towards the costs of running the event. The charity benefits only from sponsorship money raised, or from gold and silver entries.
Reminder: there is a minimum fundraising of £500 which all goes to our charity partner, Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.
As a charity, Sue Ryder is heavily reliant on the generosity of supporters to reach more people when they really need it, so no one is left to grieve or die alone.
By taking part in the Peterborough Dragon Boat Festival, and raising vital funds, you are helping Sue Ryder’s specialist teams to provide expert and compassionate palliative care and bereavement support; you are helping Sue Ryder be there when it matters.
A generous donation of £500 could fund 20 hours of expert and compassionate care, so our Sue Ryder doctors and nurses can manage patients’ pain and symptoms and make more space for a family’s final days to be filled with love.
Sue Ryder – Online Bereavement Support
The team raising the most money for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice will be awarded the charity trophy and receive a special prize for the whole team to enjoy from Alamo Paintballing!
Their staff, with over 25 years of experience, will take you and your team across an 11 acre battle-ready woodland with natural and man made barricades! You will play great games like D-Day and The Mad Minute. Get yourself ready for the pure excitement of Alamo Paintball!
Apart from the spectacular racing which will take place every 10-15 minutes, the following activities will run continually on the bank for both competitors and spectators.
For adults and children
A range of side activities for all ages including small fairground rides and inflatables.
You can find out more about the work of Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice and meet the team from ESP!
Come and enjoy the magical experience of having your face painted by Giggle and Glow! Instantly boosting confidence, allowing the shy to transform into a brave tiger or a powerful superhero!
Elevate the excitement at this year’s Dragon Boat Festival with captivating live caricature artistry! Our skilled artist, known for entertaining audiences nationwide, will be on-site in Peterborough. With a talent for quick black and white (and colour) sketches, each completed in around 5 minutes, our artist adds a unique and lively element to the festivities. Perfect for individuals or groups, this engaging experience is sure to leave a lasting impression at the Dragon Boat Festival – a memorable blend of art and entertainment!
A1 Catering – Burgers, Bacon Rolls, Hot Dogs, Chips – christiana1freshfoods@gmail.com
Antonio’s Pizzeria – contactus@antoninospizzeria.co.uk
Tony’s Ices – Ice Cream Van
Bluestone Coffee – info@bluestonecoffee.co.uk
We encourage you to prebook by contacting the vendors above.
Bar
Enjoy a drink in the clubhouse. Dragon boat paddlers please remember alcohol and watersports do not mix so please restrict your drinking of alcohol until after your last race of the day.
Professional event photographer, Magdalena Sienicka, will be taking photos of crews and the day’s action and all photos will be available free of charge via a google drive link that will be emailed to crew managers after the event
Please note, participants and spectators must acknowledge the fact this event is in the public arena and therefore by entering the venue, this may result in the recording of their image.
This guide is primarily for those organising or competing in the sport of Dragon Boat Racing. It covers their responsibilities when participating in a dragon boat event and should therefore be used as a general guide to ‘Safety on the Water’ in a competitive situation.
Because of the size and design of the Dragon Boat, and the water conditions in which racing takes place, that is placid water, dragon boating is inherently safe and a capsize especially in such conditions, unless the crew is at fault, is a rarity.
However, in any water sport, because of the environment itself, there is always an element of danger. Add to this the folly and impatience of human nature and the ingredients for an accident may eventually come together to the detriment of the sport as a whole. Dragon Boat Racing is no exception to the rule and it is the duty of all who practise the sport – competitors, race organisers, coaches and officials alike – to be aware of the potential dangers inherent in the sport; to be safety conscious – not safety extreme – and to ensure that dragon boating is conducted in a responsible manner.
In adverse weather conditions and when there are strong winds, Dragon Boats can be swamped with water and have been known to capsize, especially when turning sideways on to the prevailing wind or wave pattern. The inexperience of the crew in such circumstances can be a major factor in a boat capsizing.
In all water conditions, good or bad, the key to safety is the application of good old COMMON SENSE by all those taking part in the activity. Playing around in a Dragon Boat and deliberately capsizing it, even in warm and sunny conditions, can be dangerous to both the crew and other water users alike. In certain circumstances it could be lethal; a Dragon Boat moving at speed through the water cannot easily be stopped and another crew in the water from a capsized boat cannot easily be seen! Crews that deliberately cause their boat or another boat to capsize when racing, or who ram another boat during the event, will be disqualified from the event.
Dragon Boat Racing is a ‘team sport’, each boat can carry a crew of up to 11 persons. It is not unusual for over 72 competitors to be on the water, in one race. The safety of this number of competitors at any one time, is the concern of many people but primarily the Event Organiser and the Chief Official. However, ‘Safety on the Water’ is also the concern of every Crew Member.
The broad areas of responsibility for safety are:-
The Event Organiser – It is the Event Organiser’s responsibility to ensure that adequate rescue boats, rescue personnel and Personal Flotation Aids (PFAs) are obtained for the event; that First Aid cover is provided off the water; that changing facilities and toilets are provided and that all temporary structures comply with health and safety regulations. The Event Organiser shall ensure that Crews are sent basic information on all safety matters appertaining to the competition.
The Chief Official – It is the Chief Official’s responsibility to ensure that during the racing, all rescue boats are in place and briefed; that in all conditions competitors wear PFAs and that all weak swimmers make themselves known to their helm before they get in the boat; and that all the safety procedures laid down by the Organisers are complied with.
The Crew Manager – It is the Crew Manager’s responsibility to ensure that all the crew members are water confident; that any weak swimmers are noted on their Crew List; that the combined Crew List and Acknowledgment of Risk Form is completed and lodged with Race Control; that the crew is briefed on the Racing Rules and ‘Safety on the Water’ and that at all times they are ‘fit to race’. This means that it is the Crew Manager’s responsibility to ensure that ‘socialising’ does not adversely affect the safety and performance of the crew on the water.
The Crew Members – It is the responsibility of the individual crew members to ensure that when they are on the water that they are adequately dressed for the weather conditions on the day and comply with all instructions given to them. Dragon Boating is a social sport too, so the safety of the whole crew must not be jeopardised through the consumption of alcohol or drugs; or thoughtlessness or horseplay by individual crew members.
The Helm (Boat Steerer) – The Helm is the Boat Captain. It is the Helm’s responsibility to make the final check to ensure that that the boat is water worthy and in racing condition. The Helm shall ensure that all crew members are correctly briefed on boat handling and capsize drills and that they are suitably dressed for the weather conditions and not wearing anything that may impede their ability to exit the boat or swim, in the event of a capsize or boat swamping. When on the water the Helm shall ensure that collisions with other craft are avoided. In the event of a Crew capsizing, the Helm shall ensure that the capsize drills are correctly carried out and that all crew members are accounted for and rescued
The Safety Officer – It is the Event Safety Officer’s responsibility to ensure that all Officials and Crew Managers are aware of, and briefed regarding ‘Safety on the Water’ and any notifiable diseases, for example Weil’s disease. The Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring that the Chief Boat Marshall is made aware of any known weak swimmers or competitors with medical conditions that may affect their ability to race. The Safety Officer is responsible for producing a safety plan for the competition, to include a water circulation system for crews going to the start or ‘warming up’.
The Chief Boat Marshall – The Chief Boat Marshall shall determine if a crew is ‘fit to race’ or not and will keep a record of the number of people embarked in each boat, in each race. The Chief Boat Marshall shall ensure that all boats and equipment are in good racing condition before the first race and that they remain in good racing condition throughout the competition.
Swimming – The Standard Required – Ideally, all members in a dragon boat crew should be able to swim at least 50 metres, but as a minimum, they must be water confident in cold and moving water and when dressed in light clothing, that is, racing dress (shorts and vest) plus waterproof top and trousers and light footwear (trainers or similar footwear) and wearing a PFA.
Personal Floatation Aids (PFAs) – When to wear them – Personal Floatation Aid (PFA), such as a Buoyancy Aid MUST be worn by all competitors whilst in a dragon boat and in the boat marshalling area and/or on the pontoons. The Race Organisers will supply these.
Boat Balance – Before leaving the embarking area, the Helm should ensure that the boat is well balanced. That is, that each pair of racers are of similar weight or height and that, generally, the heavier pairs are seated in the boat’s middle section. The Helm must know the number of people in the boat.
The Buddy System – The crew should be ‘numbered off’ from the front of the boat and made aware that they are each responsible for the person they are paired with (across the boat) and that in the event of a capsize or the boat being swamped and sinking, their first responsibility is to themselves then to ensure that their partner is safe and well.
This is called the ‘buddy system’ and it gives each person in the boat a specific responsibility for another. The ‘Stroke Pair’ (first pair – No.2 left and 3 right) in the boat are responsible for the Drummer (1) and the ‘rear pair’ (last pair) for the Helm.
Steadying the Boat – A boat will feel ‘tippy’ especially if the crew is out of balance or moving about in an uncoordinated manner. To steady the boat in such circumstances (and when sideways on to the wind or wave pattern) the crew should be instructed by the Helm to slightly lean out over the side of the boat and place their paddle blades flat on the water, at arm’s length.
With all of the paddles on the water in this manner the boat is effectively stabilised. This is called a paddle brace and the Helm’s command should be ‘Brace the Boat’.
Stopping the Boat – When manoeuvring, turning or racing the boat it may be necessary to stop the boat suddenly, to avoid a collision with another boat or object. It is important that the crew reacts quickly but safely. An unbalanced crew over-reacting can capsize their own boat! The quickest way to stop a boat is for the crew to do a reverse paddle stroke, that is, everyone takes a backwards stroke with their paddle instead of a forward stroke.
The initial command should be ‘Stop Paddling’ followed immediately by ‘Brace the Boat’ if the boat is unstable and there is no immediate danger of a collision. If there is a danger of a collision the command ‘Stop the Boat’ should be given and the Crew instructed by the Helm to paddle backwards.
In a race situation when a collision is imminent, the Helm must immediately tell the crew to ‘Stop the Boat’. Failure by the Crew to stop the boat in such circumstances will result in disqualification.
The number of rescue boats that an Event Organiser provides will vary according to the number of boats in each race and conditions on the day. The chances of more than one boat capsizing in a race are extremely low and therefore, unless the weather conditions are extreme, it should not be necessary to have more than two safety boats in total at any one event.
Each boat should ideally be able to hold at least eight (8) passengers and should not carry more than two crew members, that is, the driver and an assistant to help with any rescues.
At least one rescue boat should be on the water for each race. The rescue boats should have a low freeboard and hand ropes on it, to allow a person to enter the boat from the water unaided. A throw line, kept on the boat, is also advised.
What to Do – In the event of a Dragon Boat capsizing each pair of paddlers should account for their buddies. The Helm should immediately ensure that all the crew are accounted for by calling out their numbers and noting the response. The crew must initially stay with the boat and leave it in the capsized position. When a boat has over-turned never swim underneath it, but in such circumstances it can be used as a floating platform, provided the crew space themselves evenly around the boat. Alternatively, under the instructions of the Boat Captain the boat may be rolled back to the upright position and used to support the crew. In all situations the Helm should remain in control of the crew and, in a race situation, await the arrival of the rescue boats. The crew should, if their paddles are within easy reach, attempt to retrieve them.
On the arrival of the rescue boats, the crew should move as directed by the operators
of the boats, with the Boat Helm remaining in the water until all members of the crew
have been rescued.
Recovery of Craft – As soon as the boat is alongside the water’s edge, the crew must again be accounted for on the land and any injuries dealt with immediately. If upturned, the boat may then be turned the right way up (in the water) and bailing out commenced. The boat should not be lifted out of the water unless there is only a small amount of water left in it, as this puts a considerable strain on the hull of the boat. Once the boat is almost empty of water it may be lifted on to the bank and checked for damage and all the boat’s equipment accounted for.
IN CONCLUSION: Safety is the concern of every crew member and is largely a matter of COMMON SENSE – USE IT! The overall responsibility for the crew off the water is the Crew Manager’s and on the water is the Boat Helm’s.
It is every competitor and official’s responsibility to ensure that Dragon Boat Racing is conducted as SAFELY AS POSSIBLE – DO IT!
It is stressed that LeptoSpirosis and Weil’s disease are both rare but can be caught by anyone engaged in a water sport. The information in this leaflet is published on the basis that ‘forewarned is forearmed’. ENJOY YOUR RACE BUT – BEWARE OF LEPTO SPIROSIS and WEIL’S DISEASE.
What is It?
LeptoSpirosis is an animal infection. After recovery the animal excretes the organisms in its urine. The bacteria survive for days or even weeks in moist conditions but only for a few hours in salt water. The infection is caught by direct contact with urine or a polluted environment. Bacteria enter through skin abrasions or via the eyes, nose or mouth.
The Illness
The usual incubation period is 2 to 12 days. Usually a ‘flu’ like illness occurs which resolves itself in 2 to 3 weeks. There may be fever, severe headache, pains in the back and calf and prostration. A few cases develop jaundice when the condition is known as Weil’s Disease. Although death may occur in about 15% of the jaundiced patients, death without jaundice is virtually unknown. Antibiotics during the first few days help in limiting the infection. Many people recover without specific treatment.
What to Do
If you think that you may have the infection go to your doctor and say that you participate in water sports and think that there may be risk of LeptoSpirosis. The doctor’s diagnosis is by clinical suspicion. Blood tests can rarely confirm the illness in time to effect treatment. They may, however, subsequently confirm it.
The microbiologist at the local hospital is the best source of advice.
Prevention
On average each year, 9 water sports people contract LeptoSpirosis. The instances of infection are therefore very rare and its deterioration into Weil’s disease even rarer. Weil’s disease is, however, a very serious illness which must be diagnosed and treated swiftly.
REDUCE YOUR RISK BY BEING AWARE!
