The Philadelphia Dragon Boat Association will hold our annual fundraising banquet and silent auction at the Lai Lai Garden on DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell, PA. This year's event will be emceed by NBC10 Sportscaster and former NFL star Vai Sikahema. You can download an invitation to the event here.

The Philly dragon boat community was saddened by the recent passing of Dr. Eleanor Smergel, who's quiet but sunny strength graced both Hope Afloat and the Schuylkill Dragons before she joined the PDBA. She set an example for all of us, and will be sorely missed. More

Philadelphia Dragon Boat Association Marks 27 Years on the Schuylkill
An introduction to the hardest-working dragon boat team in America.

Dragon boating is the oldest continuously raced sport in the world, and the fastest growing in America. Begun around 300 BC on China's Mi-Lo river, there are well over a million teams competing worldwide today. (The only sport with more participants by number is soccer.) Poised in a 40 foot long canoe with a carved dragon head and tail, twenty athletes paddle at rates ranging from 60 to 104 strokes per minute. This is Dragon Boat racing, and Philadelphia is home to one of the world’s elite teams. Training on the Schuylkill River five days a week from April through September since 1983, the Philadelphia Dragon Boat Association has become a recognized world powerhouse, earning the right to represent the United States in the last 6 World Championships, including the 2009 World Championships, recently held in Prague, Czech Republic.

The PDBA was founded in 1983 as the Philadelphia Mens Dragon Boat Racing Team with only a Premier Open roster (men, 18 years and older). Until 2001 there were never more than about 25 members in any given year. The sport and the team has outgrown just that single division, and now includes men, women, and kids ranging from 11 to 65 years of age. We are essentially a local club-crew team that practices and performs year after year at a National and World Championship level, but are also working professionals with jobs and families living right here in the Delaware Valley.

We form the core of the United States Dragon Boat Federation's Team USA, and represent the US all over the world. Some of our members have been on the team for more than 20 years. We are trained by the USDBF's Head Coach, Bob McNamara and Womens Coach Margaret Gordon.

Recruiting New Talent for 2010
2011 provides an opportunity to reclaim the Nations Cup for new paddlers starting in 2010

Success in Prague: Women Excel,
Men Defend, Youth Amaze
2009 Season Review by Coach Bob McNamara

The tale of the 2009 World Championship season of Team USA and its Philadelphia contingent is rich in glory, amazing individual and team efforts, spiced with a degree of frustration that will fade as time moves on. The short story is that the Premier team won more medals (six) than ever in US history and finished the World Championships with the second highest Premier medal total behind China. Within the Premier category the women turned in by far the best performance ever and the men their second best behind Sydney in 2007. The Seniors competed very well and the Juniors made us all smile with their enthusiasm and amazing paddling. (More...)

World Championships are never a “home game”. All the hard work and practices goes for nothing if we can’t get the team to the starting line. This race is the centerpiece of our annual fundraising drive. It also allows us to help encourage the popularity of the sport, and provides us with the means to help two of our favorite partners, US military veterans and Philadelphia's Police Athletic League. For that reason we’re asking you to add another race to your 2010 schedule. We call it the Independence Dragon Boat Regatta and hold it here in Philly every June.

The IDBR is run very similarly to to the autumn Philadelphia International Dragon Boat Festival but each team will be coached by one of the PDBA’s veteran National and World championship paddlers. More info can be found at www.independencedragonboat.com.

Philadelphia Youth Dragon Boat Team
2009 Under-16 World Champs looking for more youth paddlers aged 11 to 17

The Philadelphia Youth Dragon Boat Team was started in 2000 when a bunch of the children of the original Philly Mens team became old enough to practice and compete. In 2009 our Youth won the Gold medal in the under-16 competition at the World Championships in Prague. Coaches Bob McNamara, Pete McNamara and a rotating collection of adult Team USA members coach and steer for their practices. Team Logistics are organized by a committee of their parents.

Indoor workouts are held during the Winter and newcomers are welcome. On the water practices will begin in early April. We'll provide paddles and training. Practices are held Saturday and Sunday mornings at 9am. In May, we will go to a 4 day a week schedule continuing with the Saturday and Sunday morning practices and adding two weekday evenings at 6:30pm.
Inquiries can be directed to Trish Acuna.

Thank You, Sponsors
Many local businesses help keep us on the water

Thanks to the many local businesses who sponsor the Philadelphia Dragon Boat Assoctiation. Anyone wishing to become a part of the growth of our sport, or our team's training towards the 2011 World Championships in Tampa, Florida should contact Ken Wong.