Dragon Boat West

Hi everybody!

Here's a message from Wila Chun inviting all dragonboaters out there to the 2007 ViewSonic Long
Beach Dragon Boat Festival  8))

Wila used to drum for the Killer Guppies of Los Angeles, and placed 2nd in Mixed Rec A @ Alcan? in 2003.

She says:

Hello Fellow Dragon Boaters!

I would like to invite your team to attend the 2007 ViewSonic Long
Beach Dragon Boat Festival on our very beautiful Southern California
beach.

Date: July 28th & 29th, 2007
Where: Marine Stadium, Long Beach, California, USA
Website: http://www.lbdragonboat.com
Race fee: $350 per adult entry; $150 per youth & AFCS entry
(we also have special rate for new out-of-state teams)
Divisions: International Open, Women, Mixed, Masters, College,
High School, JR High School, Elementary, Corporate,
All Females Cancer Survivors, **Mixed 10-man Boat**
Applications deadline: June 30th, 2007

You only need a crew of 18 paddlers (with a minimum of 6 female
paddlers for mixed divisions) plus a drummer and a steersperson.
It's a 500 meter race course with up to 8 boats racing at the
same time. On Sunday afternoon, all division winners will compete
for the Grand Championship, the biggest honor of the festival.
Many trophies and individual medals are given out to the winners.

This year we are adding a competitive mixed 10-man boat division
in a 250 meter course. There should be some very exciting, close
races in this new division!

We are expecting over 100 teams to compete including teams from
Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Arizona, Oregon, Texas,
Florida, Vancouver, and Asia. The festival includes free
entertainment, arts & crafts booths, and various food vendors.

The race will be held right on the beach. The weather will be
great--it's usually sunny, about 75-80 degrees. We're also
famous for our West Coast hospitality. A local team will be
assigned to host a visiting team, assuring a wonderful visit.

Take a vacation and come and visit us and our popular Southern
California's tourist sites. Disneyland, Legoland, Universal Studios,
and Hollywood are only an hour drive away from the race venue.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Don't
forget to check our website for hotel, race applications, and other
information. Book your hotel early; the rooms go fast!

We look forward to meeting some new teams and seeing returning teams
again, so come on down!!

-Wila Chun
[email protected]
Visiting Team Coordinator
http://www.lbdragonboat.com

my testimonial for this event :

we were down there last year and its a great festival to participate in.   it was well run and the venue was fantastic.   the entire race can be watched from the sidelines (all beach!) as the nearest boat racing by is just a stone throw's away making it possibly the best festival from a spectator/fan's point of view.   race-wise, they line the entire course with color coated markers making it extremely easy to see how many meters you have to go and whether or not youre straight or not.   also, the medals are nice and the trophies are HUGE!     :D


sidenote : the killer guppies were great hosts!  thanks again for everything!

Is it really $350 per PERSON??

Race fee: $350 per adult entry; $150 per youth & AFCS entry
(we also have special rate for new out-of-state teams)

That'd be $350 per visiting adult TEAM. 

Some other unique aspects about racing in Long Beach, CA:

Two years ago, they began using floating docks (and held starts) at the beginning of the 500m course. 

Last year, bonus 250m sprint races were added. Also added were 500m long lane markings, similar to those used in crew races, with the final 100m being red in color.

This year, the competitive 10-man boat races (which are actually 6 men and 4 women),  open up many new possibilities. 

Hats off to race organizer Dr Chen, and his LB organizational crew (including Wila) for making Long Beach a great venue year after year.