Dragon Boat West

FYI,
Ayla from Portland

I realize that some of the southernmost US locations are still putting on dragonboat events now. However, for much of the North American dragon boaters, the 2006 racing season is pretty much a wrap. Many teams are already starting to set their race schedules for 2007. If you're a race organizer and hope to attract out of town/area teams to your event, especially if yours is a fairly new event, NOW is the time you should be advertising and pushing to attract teams to your 2007 events.
So if you've firmed up the dates for your 2007 events, I strongly suggest you get the word out soon on the dragon boat forum and other such communication avenues before teams set their schedules for next year. If you don't get on most teams/clubs' schedules for next year soon, your event stands little chance of getting there at all, especially for out of your area or region teams you may want to attract.

The first US dragon boat race of 2007 that I'm aware of will happen in Tempe, AZ on March 24-25. That's less than six months away. Tempus fugit.

DragonSports USA will hold its 2007 races on Sept. 8-9, 2007 in or near downtown Portland, Oregon. The exact venue is TBA. Two days of 500-meter racing in Hong Kong-style dragonboats will be capped off with a single long distance race for qualifying teams. Teams from Oregon, Washington and British Columbia participated in this year's races. DragonSports would like to see more out of town teams in 2007. No team from outside the Portland area has ever won either the competitive division or the long distance race at this event.  Is this a Challenge???
Doug Schryver
Portland, Oregon

let me guess, Kai has won those two races for X years?

Not this year. Zamboanga won both the Comp A and the Race to Riverplace this year. They were both AMAZING races to watch!! Last year Kai ikaika won both, so as you can imagine it was quite a battle out there.

I have to correct Ayla's post. 

Kai Ikaika did indeed win the race to Riverplace.  Zamboanga came in 3rd place behind the high school team "Kracken" which was sponsored by Wasabi.