In case you haven’t been watching closely, several new pages have been added to the web site recently, to recognize our new Breast Cancer Survivor (BCS) Dragon Boat program. Check out the new pages under the “Teams” menu, or use these links:
DRACO Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Club
BCS Program Photos/Video/Media
BCS Program Links & Reference Materials
Stay tuned – more information will be added soon!
We continue to make minor improvements to DRACO’s new, second-generation pool paddling simulator (Sinker), and it is proving to be a great hit with our Phantom Dragons and new BCS paddlers. Below are photos taken during recent practice sessions.
Paddles Up!
Phantom Dragons paddlers, ready for “Sinker’s” maiden voyage!
Design and construction of DRACO’s new, second-generation pool paddling simulator (Sinker) is complete, and winter practices have now resumed. Based on initial testing on January 30 and February 6, the new simulator is greatly improved over the first generation prototype! See video from her maiden voyage at First Practice Video.
Our New Simulator arrives at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center
Phantom Dragons paddlers, ready for “Sinker’s” maiden voyage!
Paddles Up!
Happy New Year everyone! DRACO and it’s member Phantom Dragons team joined forces to see in the New Year w/ an event featuring Mega-Scorch, the Fire-Breathing Dragon, at the Colorado Plus Brewpub. It was a very fun celebration, and helped raise funds to support a worthwhile cause – DRACO’s Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Program.
The dates of this year’s Colorado Dragon Boat Festival have been announced.The event will be Saturday and Sunday, July 30-31, 2K16 at Sloan’s Lake Park.
The Phantom Dragons, a member team of the Dragonboat Racing Association of Colorado, reacted quickly to the announcement, and is the first team to enter the Colorado Springs International Dragon Boat Festival to be held August 27th, 2016. We hope to see you there!
Great News!!! GWN Dragon Boat has announced a new event – the Walgreen’s Colorado Springs International Dragon Boat Festival, to be presented by Pepsico August 27th, 2016.
It will be great to add a new, professionally organized and well-run dragon boat competition to our calendar of events!
Michael J. Boyd, Captain and Head Coach of the local Phantom Dragons team, raced in the coveted right stroke position on Team USA’s Senior C Mixed crew in the 12th IDBF Dragon Boat World Championships, held in Welland, Ontario this August. For dragon boaters, this is the pinnacle event – the equivalent of what the Olympic Games represents for more conventional sports. Notably, Boyd is the first paddler from Colorado to try out for and be selected to race on a World Championship level dragon boat team. Needless to say, he considered this experience to be the event of a lifetime!
Michael J. Boyd / Team USA Senior C Mixed 2015
The Team USA Senior C crew paddled with determination and heart in the 2000-meter, 500-meter and 200-meter divisions, setting a National Record for their time in the 200 meter races. However, the combined time for their two fastest (of three) heats in that division left them a scant 0.22 seconds behind Germany in the race for third place – heartbreakingly close, but just off the podium and out of the medals.
Here is a video of their Final Race in the 200-Meter Division.
Senior C Mixed 200-Meter Finals
Also check out Mike’s interview with Richard Smith of Belief Sport TV that provided live online coverage of the event . . .
Michael J. Boyd Interview – IDBF World Dragon Boat Championships
Additional Photos are posted here:
2015 IDBF Dragon Boat World Championships
In less than two weeks, Michael Boyd, Captain and Head Coach of the local Phantom Dragons team, will be racing in the IDBF Dragon Boat World Championships in Welland, Ontario.
Those wanting to follow the racing action can do so at the following site:
If you’re in a position to contribute to this effort, see the documents linked to the image below:
Team Scorch (a combined Phantom Dragons / Florida crew) brought home some bling from this year’s Colorado Dragon Boat Festival.
The team received Gold medals and a 1st Place Certificate for the 250m Rec A Division. The team also placed 4th in the 500-meter Competitive Division, and posted the fastest time in the 1,000-Meter “Guts & Glory” race (but were forced inside by another boat, missing a buoy in that race, which was for “bragging rights only”).
Due to an improperly called start (which was protested), the crew was allowed to re-run the 125m Final (with some awesome help from their LBT friends, who ran alongside to help push them along). Even though the PD/Scorch crew had to run that race back-to-back, immediately after one of its 250-meter heats, they posted a faster time than any other team in the final heat.
It was a great weekend of racing and camaraderie. Congrats to all!