About Dragon Boating
Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Paddling –
how it all began.
In 1996, Dr. Don McKenzie, a University of British Columbia Professor in the Department of Sports Medicine and exercise physiologist, challenged the prevailing medical thinking that women treated for breast cancer should avoid rigorous upper body exercise for fear of developing lymphedema, a debilitating and chronic side effect of treatment.
Dr. McKenzie developed a program to determine the impact of exercise on breast cancer survivors, choosing dragon boat paddling as the epitome of strenuous, repetitive upper body exercise. He trained twenty-four breast cancer volunteers in a gym for three months, introduced them to dragon boats and taught them paddling techniques. At the end of the three-month season on the water none of the women had lymphedema. Further, while Dr. McKenzie’s medical research was underway, the women found they were fitter, healthier and happier. They loved the camaraderie and support of their fellow paddlers and had regained control of their lives. They realized that dragon boat paddling could become a means to raise awareness of breast cancer and of the ability of survivors to lead normal lives. They named their team ‘Abreast In A Boat’ and invited other survivors to share their exciting experience.
The following year the second breast cancer paddler team, Dragons Abreast, was established in Toronto. After meeting members of Abreast in a Boat, Eleanor Nielsen brought the sport and its message of hope and health east in Canada, then along with other breast cancer survivors, helped introduce it to other countries. The early years were very much a grassroots movement as these inspirational individuals started communicating across the miles, providing much support and encouragement to see other survivors reap the benefits of dragon boating and the health and fitness benefits it provided.
As more and more interest came about, representatives from different countries joined together to paddle in different places including Canada, Australia, Italy, Penang, New Zealand, Singapore, Poland, and the United States.
The idea of forming an international dragon boat organization for breast cancer paddlers was first floated in 2007 at ‘Abreast in Australia’, an international BCP event with about 50 teams from around the world in attendance. This led to the International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commision (IBCPC), which was created with the mission to encourage the establishment of breast cancer dragon boat teams, within the framework of participation and inclusiveness. The first official congress of the newly formed IBCPC was held at the breast cancer festival in Peterborough, Canada in 2010.
Since Dr. McKenzie’s initial endeavour, several more studies have demonstrated the overwhelming physical and mental benefits of dragon boating for breast cancer survivors.
On January 7, 2022, Dr. Don McKenzie was appointed the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honours, for his work in exercise oncology, namely introducing dragon boat paddling to breast cancer survivors and for debunking the myth that exercise causes upper-extremity lymphedema in those recovering from the disease.
The History of Dragon Boat Racing
The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the most spectacular traditions of ancient China. It is an exciting period for rowing competitions marked by the eating of rice dumpling called “Ma Chang”. In some Chinese-speaking societies, the day is also known as the “Poets’ Day”.
The legend behind the Dragon Boat Festival embodies the story of love and service for one’s country. About 2,300 years ago, during the Warring States period, a well-respected poet and statesmen named “Qu Yuan” lived in the Chinese Kingdom of Chu and served the government with integrity as Minister of State. He was disturbed by the corruption and by the court intrigues of many courtiers who resented his talent, popularity and sense of righteousness. One version said that other officials convinced the Emperor that Qu Yuan was corrupt, that his plea for reforms be ignored and had him banished from the Kingdom.
For years, he wandered the countryside composing poems expressing his patriotism and love for the people. Either as an act of despair or an ultimate protest against the corrupt government, Qu Yuan threw himself into the Mei Lo river (in today’s Hunan province) on the fifth day of the fifth month in the year 278 B.C. Qu Yuan opted to commit suicide rather than lose face and honour by serving a corrupt government.
He composed two famous poems known as “Ai Ying” and “Huai Sha” before jumping into the river with a large stone tied to himself. Grief-stricken local fishermen who witnessed Qu Yuan’s desperate act, tried to save the patriotic poet. They sailed up and down the river to look for him and desperately thrashed the water with their oars and paddles to scare off the hungry fishes which might eat his body. To commemorate the patriotic man, the fishermen and rural town folks threw cooked rice dumplings wrapped in silk or banana leaves, into the water in order to appease the spirits of the river on his death anniversary. These rice dumplings are called “Tsung Tze” or “Ma Chang”.
The first Dragon Boat Races were recorded in the Tsin period. It became popular in the Tang Dynasty ( 618-907 A.D.) spreading throughout the Yangtze River Valley and to most of South China. One paddler traditionally stands in the boat searching for Qu Yuan’s body while a drummer on board and the ferocious-looking dragon designs were added to frighten away evil water spirits. This is because Chinese people traditionally regarded the dragons as presiding over the water and having dominion over rainfall. It is also the supreme symbol of power and benevolence in the Far East. In the present day, the Dragon Boat Festival is held annually in different nations world wide. In China alone, 20 million people are active in this sport which is organized in the various cities and provinces.
22 breast cancer paddlers moving forward together!
Whether your goal is to improve your health, enjoy the team camaraderie, or winning races, (or all the above), dragon boating delivers these, and so much more. Thinking of joining a crew? Here’s a cheat sheet to help you get your feet wet.
Dragon Boat Positions
Pacers, Engine Room, and Rockets
These are terms that describe the paddlers position in the boat. Each crew member is placed where they are best suited to give the best possible contribution to the crew as a whole. Every crew is different so you may not always paddle in the same seat or with the same partner. Some of the considerations are stroke consistency, paddling side, long legs, short legs, height, strength, and experience.
Each section of the boat has its own needs and requirements. Pacers (front six) need to have good consistent strokes and be controlled. If they are too enthusiastic and go too fast the crew will be wasting valuable energy and will likely not achieve its goals because there is nothing left for the final push to the finish. The engine room (middle eight) needs to be strong and powerful as they are dealing with faster water. This is also where the boat is sitting the lowest in the water and strong powerful strokes are needed to keep it up and gliding over the water. Rockets (back six) are probably dealing with the fastest water and need a good deep stroke to get a good connection with the water and keep the lift and glide going. This section is also often responsible for a turbo charge push at the start of a series that is picked up through the rest of the boat.
No one section is more important than the other. They must all work together as one to power the boat forward. Your coach will place you in the boat where you are best suited to be the most help for your crew. The overriding consideration is always what is best for the crew as a whole. There are 22 hearts in the dragon boat beating as one.
Drummer
The person who sets a crew’s timing by rhythmically pounding a drum or calling stroke rates. The drummer sits in the bow and is usually lightweight. This position is generally only used during races, not practice.
Steerperson
Also sometimes referred to as the cox, the steerperson is located at the stern of the boat and is responsible for steering and giving the crew commands.
Dragon Boat Terms and Lingo
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bow | Front of boat |
| Stern | Rear of boat |
| Port | Left side |
| Starboard | Right side |
| Gunwale (or gunnel) | Sides |