Congratulations to the Phantom Dragons / Pink Phantoms, who raced in the 2016 Arizona Dragon Boat Festival held October 1-2, 2K16. Always short-handed for the event, the Phantoms crew received some greatly appreciated help from a wide variety of paddlers from other parts of the US and Canada. Many thanks to everyone who made it possible for us to race in this event!
The Arizona Festival is always a very competitive event. Check out the full Race Results
Congratulations to the Phantom Dragons / Pink Phantoms crew for their outstanding performance in the 2K16 GWN/Colorado Springs International Dragon Boat Festival. This was a great event, very professionally organized and run, and featuring a higher level of competition than the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. A highlight of the day was the Cancer Survivor Ceremony. It was great to see the two cancer survivor groups, including our own Pink Phantoms, get some well-deserved recognition.
Additional photos and video clips shot at the event are posted here:
Phantom Dragons / Pink Phantoms – Colorado Springs 2K16
On August 13, 2016 the Dragonboat Racing Association of Colorado (DRACO) put on a dragon boat demonstration as part of the Spirit of the Lake Regatta on Grand Lake. The event served as a fund-raiser to benefit Infinite West and its Colorado River Headwaters Conservation efforts, along with promoting DRACO’s breast cancer survivor (BCS) dragon boat program. Phantom Dragons and Pink Phantoms paddlers showed off their racing skills, and also provided a dragon boat paddling experience for interested spectators.
More photos can be seen here: Spirit of the Lake Regatta 2K16
Phantoms Win CDBF Bling!!! The Phantom Dragons / Pink Phantoms crew raced to a strong finish at the 2K16 Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. The crew performed well in every division, capturing 3rd Place in the 120-Meter Competitive Division, 2nd Place in the 500-Meter Recreational Division, and 1st Place in the 250-Meter Recreational Division. Congratulations Phantoms!
Additional photos and video clips shot at the event are posted here:
Phantom Dragons / Pink Phantoms – CDBF 2K16
On May 14, DRACO provided boats, equipment and technical assistance to help a group of East Grand Middle School students put on the Knight in Shining Armor Dragon Boat Race on Grand Lake, a fund-raiser to benefit the Shining Stars Foundation. The event was this year’s effort by a Middle School class that does a service project each year to raise funds for a worthwhile cause. In spite of “iffy” weather, the event was a great success, and everyone had a wonderful time. Here’s an article in the local paper describing the event: Dragon Boat Races on Grand Lake
More photos can be seen here: Knight in Shining Armor Dragon Boat Races
Here’s a link to the Championship Race.
Finally, a wonderful “Thank You” from the EGMS Students
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!
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:
