When are the races held?
The festival is normally held the third Saturday of August each year. In 2010, the dragon boat racing will be held on August 21 this year. Races go several times each hour from from 8am to 4pm.
Where is the race?
Directions: Coming from Toronto or Windsor, take the Veterans
Memorial Parkway (formerly Airport Rd.) exit and head north
until it ends at Huron St. Turn left on Huron, then right
at Clarke Road. The entrance to Fanshawe is on the right (east)
side of the road across from the Ted Early soccer and baseball
park. There is some parking at Ted Early if you want to use
this area as a meeting area for your team if anyone is planning
to go into the park together. Note: Cell phone service can
be a bit 'iffy' once you are at the race site. The London
website (below) has excellent maps (and you can even select
aerial views).
PRACTICE VENUE AND RACE LOCATION
NOTE: The event is NOT at the Rowing Centre this year. It has returned to the same location as the practice venue for 2010 which is past the Pioneer Village, past the beach area and towards the Children's Village. Follow signs for the Watson Porter Pavillion.
See map below.
The map above shows the path through the park to the practice and race venue.
You may click on above map to view/print a large PDF version of the
above map.
Link to Fanshawe Conservation Area
Link to City of London
When is the racing?
Races begin at 8am and run througout the day ending at approximately 4:30.
Festival Activities
7:00 am - Pancake Breakfast until 10:00 am (provided by Kinsmen of Greater London) Donations go to local charities.
8:00 am - Dragon Boat Races begin!
10:00 am - Opening Ceremonies including the ceremonial ‘Dotting of the Eye’ Ceremony and Lion Dance will be performed by CCNC
1:00 pm - Breast Cancer Survivor Ceremony
12:50-1:50 (approximate) Lunch Break - no racing
1:00 pm Gymnastics and Wushu Demonstrations by Forest City Sports Centre
4:00 pm - Final Championship Race followed by Awards Ceremony
Ongoing - ALL DAY: Great Food and lots of interesting crafts and merchandise on sale.
Where can we rent a tent?
Want to make sure your team doesn't get sun burned so they
can still paddle? Want a place to be able to rest between
races? Rent a tent from Big Top Rentals - (519) 661-8603.
Where can we stay?
PLEASE book very early as things fill up quickly!!
Camping
Camping is available at Fanshawe Park. You can reserve campsites
online here or by phoning 1-866-668-2267.
University Accommodations
Elgin Hall
Web: http://www.stayatwestern.ca
Tel: 519-661-3476
EMail: stayatwestern@uwo.ca
Modern suite-style facility (opened in 1999)
Accommodates 250 guests
Furnished suites featuring four single, lockable bedrooms;
two bathrooms, a common area as well as kitchenette with stove
top, microwave and refrigerator
Barrier-free access and some specially designed suites
Each suite has its own heat/air-conditioning unit
Telephone equipped with complimentary local service
Dining room
Vending area, music room, various lounges and patio
Located on University Drive, off Richmond St. North
Other Accommodations
All Sport Accommodation can find local accommodation for
you. This is a FREE service to you. You can visit their website
at http://www.bookasa.com, phone them toll free at 1-888-586-5461
or email at info@bookasa.com
Do you have to have a sponsor to register a team?
No, any group of 22-28 people can put a team together. You
would simply pay your entry fees and perhaps divide the cost
among you.
What is the difference between a team sponsor and
a festival sponsor?
A team sponsor typically covers costs associated with a team
entering the race such as entry fees, tshirts etc. A Festival
sponsor does not usually sponsor an individual team, but might.
The festival sponsor might decide to sponsor certain races,
or might contribute to the overall festival expenses.
How many people do you need?
A minimum of 16 paddlers are required in every race. You must
also have a steersperson and a drummer as well. On every race,
there must be a minimum of 8 women. The minimum age to participate
is 16. Participants under 18 are required to have a waiver
signed by their parent or guardian.
Who steers the boat?
A trained steersman must steer the boat. If you do not have
one on your team, one can be provided for a $50 fee.
Is this sport mostly for athletic people? How much experience
do you need?
Almost anyone can participate. Of course, the fastest teams
will have practiced together many times and may also maintain
top physical fitness, however, many teams are made up of people
of average fitness that practice only a few times before an
event. The key is to paddle in unison. If you do not consider
yourself fit, you may wish to speak to your doctor before
participating in the sport. While people without prior experience
or training can participate, it is a vigorous activity and
you should expect to paddle for at least 3 minutes.
What time commitment is required?
Most teams will want to have 2-4 practices minimum before
race day. The practices are approximately 1 hour long. On race day, the
races start at 7:45 and end at approximately 5pm.
What equipment does the team need to provide?
We suggest that you wear comfortable clothing that dries quickly
or bring extra clothes - you will get wet!! The boats, life
jackets (PFD's) and paddles are all provided for you. While
there is water available free of charge at the dock area,
and refreshments are available for purchase at our vendors,
you may wish to bring your own bottle drinks and light snacks.
The team area does have some trees, but your team may also
wish to erect a canopy or tent for shelter.
How do you know what to do?
First, if you have any questions, ask your team captain who
in turn can get any answers to questions before the event
by contacting us at raceinfo@dragonboatlondon.ca or on race
day, look for one of the festival volunteers or committee
members for help. If your team has never paddled before, during
your practices, your steersperson or coach will give you some
basic instruction as much as possible. This is an excellent
time to ask questions.
What if we don't have enough people?
Before the event, please inquire via email at raceinfo@dragonboatlondon.ca.
If you find that you are short people on race day, please
contact the registration desk upon your arrival or through
the day ask any of the festival committee members for assistance.
We may have some interested people willing to paddle with
you that were not able to join another team. NOTE: a paddler
may only paddle on ONE team. Steerspeople may steer any boat
and there is no restriction on the number of teams they can
help.
Where do you get team shirts?
There are many vendors that can create shirts for you. If
you can't find one, please email us and we might have some
suggestions. You can also print your own shirts with software
and iron on transfers available at places like Staples or
craft stores.
How do we know when and where to race?
When you arrive at the park on race day, your team captain
should register your team immediately. They will be given
instruction on where the races are held, what to expect, the
official race day schedule etc. Note: On occasion, races my
need to be rescheduled, so please listen to announcements
calling for teams to race.
How long is the race?
Races are 500 metres long which will usually take anywhere
from 2-3.5 minutes depending on the strength of your team.
You will have at least 3 races during the day. The only exception
would be if there is inclement weather or poor water conditions.
