The sport of dragon boating originated in China more than 2,500 years ago. There are two main types of dragon boats: 10-seater and 20-seater, which are distinguished by the number of paddlers in the boat:
- 10-seater Also known as a small boat, this type has 10 paddlers, a drummer, and a steerer.
- 20-seater Also known as a standard boat, this type has 20 paddlers, a drummer, and a steerer.
All dragon boats have paddlers sitting in pairs side-by-side, using single-bladed paddles. Paddlers paddle in time to the rhythm of the drummer. During races, these boats are adorned with elaborately painted dragon heads and tails.
The sport is physically and mentally grueling, and requires all paddlers to work in unison to achieve maximum speed. When fully loaded, the paddlers are pulling approximately 4,000 pounds through the water.
Today, over 50 million people take part in dragon boat races worldwide. It is considered the second most popular team sport next to soccer. There are currently over 250 Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Teams worldwide and growing.
