Competitive force!
Dragon boating is competitive. More accurately, dragon boating makes people competitive. Yes, this sport might actually force people to become fierce warriors destined to beat the other team – by boat lengths. Some of the most genteel souls have gotten upset when their team didn’t make it to the Final Round. It hurts, burns deep down inside when we work and thrive for victory, to be short of succeeding.
At festivals produced by Dynamic Events & Managements, we continuously witness teams repeatedly register year after year in hopes of climbing that summit to the Final Round. We also find that these teams are increasingly testing their skills and synchronicity against a wider field. In most of our venues, we’ve watched a 30%-50% growth rate each year.
The sport of dragon boating has already sparked a fire within most paddlers. Add to that a large field of teams to conquer and you get a very competitive race day.
What is it about this sport that can make the most subdued hungry for winning heats and improving their race time?
It starts with the sport being so interesting and possible to learn for most anyone, regardless of age and fitness level. After paddlers get a small taste with a few hours’ practice and especially when they get the adrenaline and excitement of races, their instinctive competitive spirit charges out from deep within the guts and leaves its mark on the water. It’s hard to explain unless you’ve stepped foot in a dragon boat. Most always want to achieve perfection. See Experience the Boat blog for a detailed description of the paddler/race experience.
Humans are also keen on outdoing themselves in nearly every aspect, which includes raising money for charity. In all DEM produced events, paddlers are asked to raise charity. This year, after producing three festivals, more than a quarter million went to worthy non-profit organizations. While we are very proud of these communities and individuals who stepped up, we’re betting that – like on race day – participants will continue an inherent tradition of besting their previous best. We’re guessing that paddlers not only want to place better than they did the previous year, they want to raise more money than ever.
When that happens, we all win!
