history

The sport dates back more than 2,000 years where it began on China’s Mi-Lo river at about 400 BC. Today, with over one million teams competing worldwide, it is the second most popular water sport on the planet.

 

Dragon boats are long, elaborately decorated canoes with a dragon’s head and tail attached. There are wooden benches for the crew of up to 16 paddlers as well as room at the bow for the drummer and a space at the stern for the steers person, known as a helmsman, to stand. It caters for a wide range of ages and abilities in one crew, male and female.

 

The Rotary Club of Chichester Priory, in partnership with the local charity CancerWise, has been organising the challenge since 2012.