Dragon Boat Racing

Teams typically consist of 20 paddlers sitting in rows of two, with a Cox who steers the dragon boat from the rear, and a drummer who sits at the front. The team of paddlers work in unison to propel the boat forward from a standing start, the aim being to reach the finish line in the fastest time. Generally a race consists of between 4 and 6 boats. Teams can be all men, all women, or a mixed crew with equal numbers of both men and women. Timing, strength and endurance are 3 key elements of a successful team; the fourth and most critical is teamwork.