The following information has been provided by the San Bernardino County Regional Parks:
The cadence of drum beats will be heard throughout the weekend of August 15-16 in the alpine lake setting of Lake Gregory in Crestline. These are the sounds made by the dragon boat drummers leading their crews with rhythmic drumbeats to indicate the timing and frequency of paddling strokes.
Click here to watch the 2008 Dragon Boat races at Lake Gregory in Crestline.
Friends of Regional Parks (FOR Parks) will host the third annual Lake Gregory Dragon Boat Race to raise funds for San Bernardino County Regional Parks and its Active Outdoors program. This year’s event has been expanded to two days with novice teams racing on Saturday, August 15th, and professionals racing on Sunday, August 16th.
The park, located at 24171 Lake Drive, Crestline, will open at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, August 15, at the South Beach entrance. Team registration will take place at 10 a.m. Teams will consist of no more than 12 members for the novice races and participants must be eight years or older and physically fit. Individuals will be assigned to a team if they are not a member group. Registration is $5 per person and each entrant must sign a release form. Both registration and release forms may be found online.
Amateur teams will be able to take a practice run at 11 a.m. and the actual race will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 15th. Members of the Newport Aquatic Center and professional Dragon Boat teams will serve as coaches and steer persons. Boats will race the length of 250 meters. An awards ceremony will be held following the races at 4:30 p.m.
Professional dragon boat racers will take to the waters Sunday morning, August 16th. These expert paddlers will glide through the water, paddling in unison, moving their boats to the finish line with speed and grace. The race begins at 9:15 a.m. and will conclude at 4:30 p.m. with an awards presentation.
Fees: Park admission $3 per person
Amateur registration $5 per person
Professional Registration $200/boat (maximum 20 per boat)
The boats used in the two-day races were donated by Dr. Howard Chen and the International Cultural Exchange Association to promote Chinese cultural tradition and the sport in the Inland Empire.
Of the 12 symbols of the Chinese Zodiac, only the dragon is mythical. The sport of dragon boat racing began 2,500 years ago in south central China. The boats are like an extended canoe with a festively painted dragon’s head at the front and tail at the rear.
Friday, June 26, 2009
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