Am I the only person who didn’t know we had dragon boat racing in Canada? The activity itself dates back to 300 BC. In Toronto there are more than 300 clubs, and races take place almost every weekend starting in May and ending in September. Most teams practise 10 times throughout the season and will race once or twice.
The breakdown
A dragon boat consists of 20 paddlers sitting two abreast in a boat with a cox who steers at the rear and a drummer who sets the pace at the front. It is a popular team sport and Sunnyside Paddling Club is the largest dragon boat club in North America, with over 125 teams and 2,500 paddlers.
The facility
Sunnyside Pavilion holds a special place in my heart as it was where my first modelling job was shot (at age 13 for Alfred Sung). Who knew that just below the charming arched facade is the home of the Sunnyside Paddling Club and a plethora of dragon boats? They also have showers, change rooms, lockers and the Sunnyside Café.
Warm-up
To avoid the post-practise burn, my instructor, Blake Hara, says to get a good warm-up on the beach before loading the boats. A light jog, biking or rollerblading are good options at Sunnyside with the Martin Goodman Trail just steps away. Once the blood is pumping, we gather on the beach to do exercises and stretches together.
Paddling
We load into the boat, and Hara says the dragon boat stroke runs parallel to the boat and is most effective when paddlers are able to incorporate their core and larger muscle groups. A typical stroke cycle starts at the hips of the paddler sitting in front and finishes at the hips of the paddler performing the stroke. Sessions like this one typically last one hour, but Hara says some teams have been known to stay out longer and even make it around the Toronto Islands, which is about a 20-kilometre loop.
Level of difficulty
This is primarily an aerobic workout where you use your core, back and arms, as well as focusing on stability and balance. What you get out of this workout is what you put into it. You can give 100 per cent or be the weakest link on the team. Hara says it is not uncommon for new paddlers to transform over a period of two or three years into national team athletes because there are specific age classes for dragon boaters at the competitive level, such as 40+, 50+, etc.
Favourite part
I’ve always loved canoeing, and I live on the water, so dragon boat paddling is an exciting extension of this. I also love that this sport is about teamwork. When you see dragon boat crews of all levels and ability pulling together in an effort to achieve a common goal, it’s very inspiring.
