Dragon Boat West

I just realized most dragon boat festival on the west coast does not have an "adult" requirement in their races. In terms of age, races have a "Junior Mixed", "Senior Mixed" and "Senior Women". In the general "mixed", "open" and "women" categories, they are all open with racers (paddlers, steers and drummer) to be at least the age of twelve (IDBF rule).

At RTADBF,

• Mixed Adult $1900      (visiting $1100)
• Women Adult $1900    (visiting $1100)
• Senior (mixed)  $1100  (visiting $900)
• U23 (mixed) $1100      (visiting $900)
• Breast Cancer Survivor $500
• Junior (mixed) FREE
• Open  $200
• Women's Composite   $500 - composite of racers from other categories

My question is, why not change the first two categories to '"Mixed" and "Women". This will allow under 19 year-old racers to paddle in those categories. As you might have noticed, some of those racers may be more fit than some of the over 18 year-old racers. This will also allow junior teams that are willing to pay to race with the big kids... yes I am talking about Ouroboros, Hamber Eternal Dragons, Laoyam Eagles, Sudden Impact Liquid Silver and other very fast junior teams which would give them a chance to race in Guts and Glory.

I still hope the junior category still remains as a free category, as it does breathe new life into the paddling community, both locally and abroad.

I also hope that the festival organizers will also allow teams outside Canada and the United States (i.e. Latin America and overseas) free registration for those teams as well. It does add a bit of diversity to our racing.

Laoyam Eagles has raced in both the junior and non-junior divisions in the past; see http://dragonboatbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/RioTintoAlcanFestival2008-Results.pdf (http://dragonboatbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/RioTintoAlcanFestival2008-Results.pdf) .  Presumably, the 19+ age rule was added recently.

No, tjl. The adult requirement for mixed teams has been around for at least a decade. In theory, had Laoyam Eagles came in first, a rival team within a timely manner place a fifty dollar deposit with the race director to register a roster complaint.

Rather than break a rule with organizers turning a blind eye, I would rather have the rule removed. If it was liability insurance, there would not be any junior category. If it was an IDBF rule, that rule does not exist today. If it was a registration processing issue, they have found a method around it with the junior teams.

If there is a good reason for keeping this rule, please reply to this forum.