The 20th anniversary of the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival will lead to a busy waterfront on Saturday, July 8 and July 9 (Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival)

By Ian Holmes

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NANAIMO — More than 1,000 athletes are competing in a longstanding event drawing thousands of people to the Harbour City’s waterfront.

The Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival’s 20th anniversary race happens Saturday, July 8 and Sunday, July 9 at Maffeo Sutton Park involving over 1,000 paddlers, split into teams of 20, on 42 boats according to race director Erik Ages of the Fairway Gorge Paddling Club.

“I think in this day and age getting 20 people to get along is something that should celebrated,” Ages said with a chuckle. “Dragon boating is kind of the gold standard in cooperative team spirit.”

Those 20 team members consist of 18 paddlers, a drummer and steer person on Chinese inspired decorative boats.

Ages said the 500 metre course just east of Swy-a-Lana Lagoon has shifted slightly further out to sea, allowing a fourth team to compete at once as opposed to three.

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Races on Saturday happen between 8:30 a.m. and 4.pm., while the action resumes on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Starts take place every 10 minutes throughout both days.

“From a participant’s perspective it’s an incredible feeling when cross the finish line as one physical force coming across at speeds that can go as high as 15 and 17 kilometers an hour,” Ages said.

First introduced in western North America in Vancouver at Expo 86, Ages said medical research has shown the benefits of low impact physical activity on cancer survivors.

He said Dragon Boating is known as an inclusive sport enjoyed by many different people for a variety of reasons.

“The same platform, venue, race format and training applies from novice all the way to elite — that I think is not common in the universe of team sport.”

Aside from the racing, numerous on-shore activities are set up for the festival at Maffeo Sutton Park.

Food trucks, various vendors, kids activities and a beer garden will be on hand.

Nanaimo’s own Crimson Coast Dance Society will be performing cultural and mainstream entertainment from main stage throughout the weekend.

Several on-shore activities will be available all day Saturday and Sunday at this year’s Dragon Boat Festival at Maffeo Sutton Park (Fairway Gorge Paddling Club).

Ages said the Nanaimo and District Hospital Foundation is the principal beneficiary of the Dragon Boat Festival with proceeds supporting breast cancer initiatives.

The Dragon Boat Festival is the first of three Nanaimo Marine Festival events based at Maffeo Sutton Park, with the Silly Boat Regatta taking place on Sunday, July 16, followed by Bathtub Weekend from July 21-23.

Additional information on the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival can be found here.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes