Dragon boats take to the water this weekend

BEECHWORTH dragon boat racing season is set to formally begin this weekend. The official season open will occur on Saturday, October 12, although training for the club has continued through the winter for some. Julia Brinsdon-Farr, club president, said that the club would also be holding a ‘come and try day’ for seniors month this Saturday, but the session is also open to all ages. The Beechworth Dragon Boat Club, although relatively new as it is only entering its fourth season, has over 70 members and usually gets around 20 to 40 people coming to each training session. Their ‘come and try’ sessions will continue throughout October on Saturdays from 8:30am to 10:30am. The season’s official beginning will be commemorated by the traditional ‘Awakening the Dragon’ ceremony. This is a ceremony that dates back more than 2000 years ago in Chinese history with the idea of ‘averting misfortune’ for the coming year. The ceremony, set to occur after the come and try session, involves various rites, including blessing the boats and the season that is about to begin. After this official ceremony to begin the season, the club will be training Monday and Wednesday nights, as well as Saturday mornings, with specific extra training for juniors held on the Wednesday night sessions. Julia encouraged all ages to come and try it out. "It’s definitely an all ages kind of sport," she said. The unique nature of dragon boat racing means that members range in age, from 10 years old to 75, an uncommon age range in most sports. Come and try sessions will continue all through October on Saturdays. Julia encourages all ages to come and try it out. "It’s an incredibly inclusive sport, and there is a spot for a range of skill sets in the boat - some people bring strength, some speed or timing and all of this is important," she said.

Dragon boats take to the water this weekend

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