Dragon Boat Racing FAQs

Everything You Need to Know About This Exciting Water Sport

Table of Contents

What is dragon boat racing?

Dragon boat racing is a traditional team water sport that originated in China over 2,000 years ago. It involves teams of paddlers racing in colourful 30ft boats decorated with dragon heads and tails. Each dragon boat is powered by a team of paddlers who paddle in unison, a drummer sits at the front to keep the paddlers in rhythm, while a helm at the back ensures the boat stays on course. Dragon boat racing is known for its inclusivity, welcoming participants of all ages, genders and skill levels. Dragon boat racing combines physical activity with cultural tradition, making it a unique and exciting sport for participants and spectators alike.

Where can we do a dragon boat race?

We travel all across the UK delivering fun and exciting dragon boat race days. Take a look at our Charity calendar to see some of our popular locations, however enquire with us if your location is not listed because there aren’t many places we haven’t been!

Charity Dragon Boat Results

How are dragon boat races typically structured?

Races are typically conducted over distances such as 200 meters, 500 meters, and 2000 meters. Teams compete in heats, semi-finals, and finals to determine the overall winner.

What does a charity dragon boat race day look like?

A charity dragon boat race day is a vibrant festival filled with various activities and excitement. Here’s what you can typically expect:

  • Crew managers safety briefing to ensure the safety of all participants and to explain the structure of the day
  • Three rounds of heats (each team will race three times as a minimum, unless specified otherwise), semi-finals and a grand final
  • Team gazebo areas for teams who have requested these – giving a shady base for teams to gather for their team talks and refreshments!
  • Live commentary, calling teams down to the boat marshalling area for their races, reading fun information about the crews and commentating on all races to build suspense!
  • Some cultural entertainment and sometimes a flypast!
  • A variety of food and drinks options to be enjoyed throughout the day.
  • Kids activities and entertainment
  • An awards presentation to the winning crews!

Overall, a dragon boat race day is a lively, community-centric event that offers a blend of competitive spirit, cultural festivities, and family-friendly fun.

What do I wear?

For our dragon boat races you can wear anything you feel comfortable in that you don’t mind getting wet! Sports clothes would be ideal and you must have footwear that won’t come off in the event of a capsize – so flipflops and bare feet are a no-go!

How many people are in a dragon boat?

For our dragon boat race we use 30ft boats, which hold 10 paddlers, 1 drummer and a helm. When you enter a team to a dragon boat race you need a team of 11 people (10 paddlers and 1 drummer), NewWave Events provide the helm. Please note: you cannot race without a drummer!

How many people are in a dragon boat?

For our dragon boat races we use 30ft boats, which hold 10 paddlers, 1 drummer and a helm. When you enter a team to a dragon boat race you need a team of 11 people (10 paddlers and 1 drummer), NewWave Events provide the helm. Please note: you cannot race without a drummer!

Any prior experience needed?

No, you don’t need any prior experience to join a dragon boat race. Dragon boat racing is a team sport that welcomes participants of all skill levels, from beginners to proficient paddlers. Some teams might like to contact their local dragon boat club to get some practice in before their dragon boat race day, but this is not essential!

How long is the day?

The length of our dragon boat race days totally depends on how many teams you have involved and how many boats you want racing! When you enquire with us, we can send you a sample race schedule to give you a rough idea how long an event for your number of people could last, however we are very flexible with this and will work with you to suit your requirements.

Can spectators attend?

Spectators are more than welcome to attend our charity dragon boat race events! There’s lots of fun for the whole family, including watching the exciting races, enjoying various activities, and participating in other entertainment and food offerings at the event.

Our corporate events however are usually just limited to the company itself.