This past Saturday, 36 boats and their fearless riders braced the frigid waters of Ramsey Lake to compete in the 20th annual Sudbury Dragon Boat Festival in support of the NEO Kids Foundation.
The annual event was introduced by the Chinese Heritage Association of Northern Ontario (CHANO) and the Sudbury Canoe Club (SCC), to celebrate the Chinese tradition of dragon boat racing, promote physical fitness, encourage tourism, raise funds for local charity campaigns and give the community an opportunity to be together.
The NEO Kids Foundation is the latest in a long list of beneficiaries the Sudbury Dragon Boat Festival has supported, raising more than $1.7 million for the community over these past 19 years.
Dylan Roberts, race committee chair with the Sudbury Dragon Boat Festival, said that the event's signature 500m race attracts a wide variety of teams, most commonly associated with an organization, but who could be friends, family or coworkers.
He said the experience is great for team building, because not only will the race be a physical challenge, but it will force you to consider how your effort affects the team's overall success.
"It's the ultimate definition of teamwork," said Roberts, "if one person tries to paddle really hard but they're out of sync, it ruins the whole boat."
"When you have 20 people on a boat all working towards the same goal it's really exhilarating...feelings are left at the dock and you just have to work together."
While still very well attended, Roberts said he has noticed a decline in participation over the years, which he said is common with events that have begun to lose their "novelty."
To combat this, the organizing committee has continued to expand the entertainment portion of the event with live music, kids play area, barbeque, vendors and other family friendly activities.
In addition to this, the event has been moved to a more accessible section of Bell Park, with better washroom facilities and viewing area.
Last but not least, the Sudbury festival has recently registered with Dragon Boat Canada, which Roberts said will encourage teams from beyond the city's limits to participate in the annual event.
More information on the Sudbury Dragon Boat Festival can be found here.
