Participate in the Paddle For Life Charity Dragon Boat Race on August, 21 in Foster City to help raise money to fight cancer. Register a team to participate in a 10 person dragon boat race. Coaching, steersperson, and drummers are provided. Just get 10 to 15
Paddle for Life is a non-profit organization that helps raise money and awareness for community causes through the fast growing sport of dragon boating. The all-inclusive sport of dragon boating is great way for family, friends, and co-workers to experience a great sport while fundraising. Our goal is to spread dragon boating to new communities while raising money and awareness for great charities in the process. Paddle for Life is a 501(c)3 non-profit.
The true story of how a youth dragon boat team went to Seattle,
Whipped the competition, and qualified for Macau
By John Herrera
August 22-23, 2009
A very diverse group of teenagers from San Jose California descended upon Seattle, Washington for the Pacific Dragon Boat Association (PDBA) championships with one goal in mind: win an entry into the 2010 World Club Crew Championships in Macau, China. What had started as a pipe dream during the trials, tribulations, and struggles at the beginning of the season was quickly becoming a reasonable goal as the season progressed with increased success. These very enthusiastic teenagers had overcome two poor performances in the beginning of the season and were on a roll after winning gold medals in two of their three races prior to Seattle. As cliché as it might sound, these kids were starting to believe.
Despite what has been characterized as a rebuilding year for BAD, a retooled BAD open team successfully defended its PDBA title that was won two years ago in a very hard faught win over San Diego in the battle for the right to go to Penang. This time it was an all or nothing, one race for all the marbles versus Wasabi and Sail Point that would determine if BAD would keep the PDBA trophy and qualify for Macau in 2010.
The open final was the second race of the entire weekend so there was no warm up nor was there any time to stumble out of the blocks while trying to clear out the cobwebs and shake off the jet - lag. BAD lined up in lane two, a lane that would make things interesting for the steersperson, but more on that later.
BAD3 turned in its best performance of the season by winning a decisive victory in the D division final at the Redwood Shores Dragon Boat Festival.The first place performance was a very memorable one for the kids from Independence High School who made up the majority of BAD 3.
The day got off to a brilliant start for BAD 3 who competed against some very strong opponents in the first heat.BAD 3 gave the teams in this competitive bracket everything they could handle.Jorge Cruz, Calvin Ly, Dennis Nguyen, and Steven Umali powered the way for BAD 3 who matched their opponents stroke for stroke throughout the race.Unfortunately for BAD 3, technique fell off in the second half of the race and they were unable to keep up with their more seasoned adversaries.Despite the rough patch at the half way point, BAD 3 was able to regroup behind the inspired racing of Elisha McIntosh, Robell Opilas, and Daniel Alarcon.The end result was a very respectable fourth place finish in the first heat.
Great paddling at our first dragon boat race of the season at the CDBA Regionals in Redwood Shores. Here are the divisions where we medaled:
Mixed Division A (top division): 3rd Place, BAD 1 Mixed Division D: 1st Place, BAD 3 (Independence High School) Master's Division: 2nd Place Women's Division: 3rd Place Open (Men's) Division: 2nd Place Notable: BAD 2 took 4th in Division C
Bay Area Dragons Wins 3 of 4 Adult Championships at the CDBA Regional Dragon Boat Sprint races at Quarry Lake, Fremont, CA.
BAD won the Mixed, Open, and Mixed Masters Championships. Kudos goes out to BAD Barracudas (Masters Women), who competed in the Mixed division and were short paddlers.
Race Results:
BAD Penang Mixed (BAD1) - 1st in division A
BAD Merril Lynch (BAD2) - 5th in dvision A
BAD Foster City (BAD3) - 2nd in division D
BAD Barracudas (BAD4/Masters Women) - 5th in division E, 5th in Women's division
BAD Masters - 1st in Master's division
BAD Penang Men - 1st in Open division
BAD Women - 2nd in Women's division
BAD now heads to Penang, Malaysia to compete in the 2008 Club Crew World Championships July 31 - Aug 3, 2008. We are fielding 3 teams that will compete in the Premier Mixed, Premier Open, and Masters Women divisions.
The SF Bay Area Dragons nearly sweeps at the 8th Annual 2008 CDBA
Regionals in Redwood Shores. BAD wins Gold in three out of the four
major championship races and brings home the championship paddle. We hope this is a start to a successful season for BAD as we prepare for the World Club Crew Championships in Penang, Malaysia in August 2008.
ChampionshipRace Results:
1st in Mixed
1st in Open - Mens division
1st in Mixed Masters
3rd in Womens division (BAD "Barracudas" Masters Women team)
The next San Francisco Bay Area Dragon Boat race will be the 2nd Annual Paddle For Life Dragon Boat Festival on June 7-8th at Jack London Square in Oakland, California. It's a charity race to raise money to help fight against cancer. Please support us and get more information by visiting paddleforlife.org .
Bay Area Dragons Take First Place in the 250 Meter Sprint Race
By John Herrera
TEMPE -
After being beaten from pillar to post all weekend long in the 500 meter
sprints by the likes of LARD, San Diego, Space Dragons, and Wasabi, the Bay Area
Dragons picked themselves off of the canvas and exacted some revenge on their
Southern California foes as BAD sprinted its way to victory in the 250 meter
sprint championship.It was yet another
first place finish in an event that has become BAD's specialty.The victory was a much needed one, as it
started the march to Penang on a very positive note.