DRACO is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $5,000 Service Grant by the Cancer League of Colorado, in support of its cancer survivor dragon boat program and activities it provides that benefit Colorado’s cancer survivor community.
Many thanks to the Cancer League of Colorado for its continued support!!!
Here is the tentative race schedule for the Phantoms crew for the 2024 Season:
Combining forces with paddlers from another crew, the Phantoms captured first in the 250-Meter Sport Division at the 2023 Riverdale Regatta.
Here is a link to 360° video of our final race, shot from the Nichi Bei Go boat (we’re the crew to the right, and squeaked out a win in a very close race)!
As part of its effort to promote its Colorado Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Program, DRACO had a dragon boat on display at this year’s Race 4 Research on Sunday, August 20, 2K23. The annual event was hosted by the Cancer League of Colorado, and is a major fund-raiser for that organization.
Additional photos taken at the event can be seen at this link:
The Dragonboat Racing Association of Colorado (DRACO) displayed a dragon boat in the Wheat Ridge Carnation Festival Parade on August 12, 2K23. It was a great opportunity to increase public awareness of the sport of dragon boating and promote our dragon boat program for cancer survivors.
Additional photos taken at the event can be seen at this link:
Matt Norfleet, one of our cancer survivor paddlers, raced on the Team USA Senior A Open and Mixed crews in the IDBF Dragon Boat World Championships in Thailand this past August. The Open crew won 1 silver and 3 bronze medals, while the Mixed crew captured 2 gold and 2 silver medals. What a tremendous accomplishment!
Awesome job, Matt – Congratulations!!!
In another stellar performance, the Phantoms crew captured Bronze Medals in the 400-Meter Premier Division and Gold Medals in the 200-Meter Sport Division at the 2023 Colorado Dragon Boat Festival.
Race Results for the two days of racing can be found at these links: Saturday Sunday
Additional photos and video clips of the Phantoms in action are posted here:
On June 10, 2023 DRACO hosted the sixth annual dragon boat day on Sloan’s Lake for the Shining Stars Foundation. It was a great event for all the children and their families, and again proved to be such a success that next year’s event is already in the planning stages. This is always one of the high points of the year for our cancer survivor paddlers.
More photos can be seen here: Shining Stars Dragon Boat Day 2K23
Members of our coaching staff attended the Bow Wave Race Camp in Pickering, Ontario. This intensive week-long camp taught by world class coaches covered a broad range of subject pertaining to dragon boating technique, coaching, race strategy, etc. It also afforded an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with paddlers and coaches from all over the United States, Canada and other parts of the world.
Our own coach for the week leads the Dragonheart Vermont organization, arguably one of the most well-established and successful BCS dragon boat crews in the country. The finale of the camp was an opportunity for attending crews to compete in the Pickering Dragon Boat Festival.
Additional photos of the event are posted here:
From November through March, our Phantoms crew trains at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center, using a custom-designed dragon boat pool simulator. This training allows us to travel to Tempe each year in March to compete in the Arizona Dragon Boat Festival on equal footing with west coast crews that can paddle on open water year-around.
Unfortunately, the 2023 Arizona Dragon Boat Festival suffered a last-minute cancellation due to flood/debris conditions at Tempe Town Lake. Still, our winter training left us well-prepared for the summer dragon boat season!
Additional photos and video clips from our pool training sessions can be seen at this link:
Phantoms Dragon Boat Pool Simulator Practices