Boracay Dragon Boat Race
2012 is the year of the Water Dragon. Nothing comes to mind about this little piece of Chinese Astrological fact without thinking about the Boracay International Dragon Boat Festival that is going to be held here in Boracay Island. The Chinese consider that the dragon is unpredictable, untouchable and swift that people cannot see its head and tail at the same time, and this depicts that things will be happening beyond expectations this year. The Dragon Boat racing started in China some 2500 years ago and is considered one of the most popular sports in the world. The race was first introduced in Boracay Island in the year 2001, but the annual event was first held officially in the year 2007. More teams consisting of close to a thousand rowers coming from different places around the globe and from different walks of life will be expected to attend this year for the competition.
The festival starts in April, but this month of March is the time to get members together for rigorous preparation and training. Joining teams this year, must complete the application on or before end of March. A team must have 24 members comprising of 18 paddlers, 4 reserves, 1 drummer & 1 steersman. This month of March, there will be groups of both fit men and women coming from different local teams that are training at White Beach either in the morning or in the late afternoon. It is quite a sight to see an array of colorful row boats going back and forth the long stretch of the beach. One of the beloved local team is the Boracay Dragon Boat Team. This team is ranked on the top three teams in the world.
Boracay International Dragon Boat Festival (BIDBF) is organized annually by the Boracay Island Paddlers Association (BIPA) in cooperation with the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation and the Municipality of Malay. BIDBF is an anticipated international event that has brought together a combination of fast-paced competitive action, a beautiful natural environment, and an invigorating lifestyle. It is a gathering of a diversity of people unifying as a team. It is a significant social and sports event of the year for Boracay. There will be ceremonies and night parties during the festival. There will be a total of 6 races and they are as follows; Men’s Open Race, Women’s Race and Mixed Race for both 300-meter races and 500-meter races. Each team will consist of either; a) a boat having a maximum of 20 men/women: 18 paddlers, 1 steersman, 1 drummer, or b) a mixed team consisting of minimum number of 8 women paddlers in the 20 crew.
Book with us now and be a part of this big annual event. Remember that April is a High Season and must guarantee your booking in Boracay Island around this time, as availability could run out fast.
