Phantom Dragons – Winter Dragon Boat Pool Simulator Practice

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!

Photos

Sinker, our Dragon Boat Pool Simulator

Additional photos and video clips from our pool training sessions can be seen at this link:

Phantoms Dragon Boat Pool Simulator Practices

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Phantoms Coach Featured in Sports Profile

Phantoms Coach/Captain Michael J Boyd is the subject of a feature article in the latest edition of Wheat Ridge Living magazine. Check it out!

Wheat Ridge Living Magazine, Sports Section, page 7

DRACO hosts Adaptive Adventures Dragon Boat Simulator Practice

On March 14 and March 28, 2022 we hosted dragon boat pool simulator practices for Adaptive Adventures, an adaptive sports provider that has several athletes training for an upcoming Paralympic competition. How awesome to be able to make our simulator accessible to this great group!

Photos

Additional photos taken at the event can be seen at this link:

Adaptive Adventures Dragon Boat Pool Practices

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Pool Simulator a Hit with New BCS Paddlers

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.

Pool Simulator Practice Photos

Pool Simulator Practice 19Mar2K16

Pool Simulator Practice 19Mar2K16-2

Paddles Up!

Paddles Up!

Phantom Dragons paddlers, ready for "Sinker's" maiden voyage!

Phantom Dragons paddlers, ready for “Sinker’s” maiden voyage!

 

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Winter Practices resume with New Pool Simulator

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.

Pool Simulator Photos

Our New Simulator arrives at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center

Our New Simulator arrives at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center

Phantom Dragons paddlers, ready for "Sinker's" maiden voyage!

Phantom Dragons paddlers, ready for “Sinker’s” maiden voyage!

Paddles Up!

Paddles Up!

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