WelcomePaddlers!
Ditchyourmotorboats,pontoonsandjetskisandgetreadyfordragonboatracing!Dragonboatracingisoneofthefastestgrowingwatersportsintheworld,
enjoyedbyallagesandlevelsofexperience.
OnSaturday,August19,2017thewatersaroundTorpyParkinMinocquawillplayhosttowhathasbeencalled"theultimateteamsport”becauseoftheability
tobringtogetherdiversegroupsofpeopleinacommonhealthycause.The2ndAnnualMinocquaDragonBoatFestivalisexcitedtobeapartofthisgrowing
communitybuildingtradition.Joinusinanunforgettabledayoffundraising,fellowshipandfun.
WatchtheracesatTorpyPark,feastonfantasticfood,gatherformusic,songanddanceandcelebrateanover2,000yearoldChinesesportsteepedin
tradition.
WhatisaDragonBoatFestival?
DragonBoatRacingisanancientChinesesportthat’scatchingonacrossthe
US,aswellasinternationally,withcompetitionsandculturalfestivalsheld
worldwide.
Traditionally,theDragonBoatFestivalisknownasDuanWuJie(Mandarin)
orTuenNg(Cantonese)whichtranslatesalmostliterallyto“DayofRight
mid-day”.ItisalsoknownasDoubleFifthCelebration,theFestivalis
traditionallycelebratedonthefifthdayofthefifthmonthinthelunar
calendar.Becauseofthemodernizationandthepopularityofdragon
boating,theFestivalisbecomingknownastheDragonBoatFestival.The
festivalhasevolvedfromaculturalcommunitycelebrationtoan
internationalcelebration.
Dragonboatingisover2,000yearsoldandissteepedintradition.Inancient
China,ChuYuan,apoet,warrior,andloyalaidetotheEmperor,fellvictim
toplotsanddeception,andfelloutoffavorwiththeCourt.Whentheold
Emperordied,ChuYuanwasunjustlybanishedandwanderedthe
countrysidewritingpoemshehopedwouldbeheardandheededbythe
newEmperor.Despondent,hefinallythrewhimselfintotheMiLoRiver.
Hisdevotedfollowers,learningofhisdeath,beattheirpaddlesonthewater
andbangeddrumsandgongstofrightenawaythefishfromChuYuan’s
body.AthletesallovertheworldstillmeettocommemorateYuan’ssacrifice
forhonorandjustice.
Thesporthasgrownintoaninternationalcompetitiveevent,withDragon
BoatRacesheldaroundtheglobefromHongKongtoSydney,andSan
FranciscotoLondon.
TheMinocquaDragonBoatFestivalwillhaveover40teamsthisyear
competinginvariousdivisions.
PaddlesUpandEnjoytheExperience!
MinocquaDragonBoatFestival
TheTeam
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Youjustneedtosupplythe16-20paddlers.Alloftheteamswillenjoy
racingontopnotchdragonboatsandsettinguptheirrestareaina
beautifullocationinTorpyParkwithgreatviewsofthelakeandrace
course.
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Eachteamisrequiredtohaveadrummer(nopriordrumming
experiencenecessary!).
Eachteamcanhaveamaximumof20paddlers,andatleast1/2of
thepaddlersmustbefemale(drummerisnotincludedasa
paddler).Eachteammusthaveaminimumof16paddlerstorace,
andagainatleast1/2ofthepaddlersmustbefemale.
Allteammembersmustcompletetheelectroniconlinewaiverof
liability.
Minimumageforpaddlersis15yearsoldasofAugust19,2017.
Paddlersbetweentheagesof15–18,musthaveaguardian’s
signatureonthewaiver.
WhattoBring
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Eachteamreceives
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1practicescheduledintheweekleadinguptotheevent.
Racingaminimumof2timesonracedayona300mracecourse.
Allofthenecessaryequipmentwillbesuppliedtoyourteam
includingaboat,lifevests,paddlesandasteersperson/coach.
A10’x20’teamtentspace.Thisareawillbelocatedinthegrassy
areaoflowerTorpyPark.Bringyourown10'x10'pop-uptent.
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Whattowear
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YouWILLgetwet.Wearclothingyoudonotmindgettingwet.
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Quickdryingshorts
T-shirtordri-fitshirt
Sandalsw/straps,watershoes,(Tevas,Crocs,etc.)
Sunscreen/Sunglasses/hatwithvisor
Incaseofrain,bringraingear
Considerbringingatowelandextrachangeofclothes
Kneepads,seatcushionsand/orglovesmaybeworn.Intheboat,
yourhandwilllikelyslipupanddowntheshaftofthepaddle.You
mayconsiderbringingglovestominimizethis.However,anyother
equipment,modificationstotheboatorpaddleswillnotbe
allowed.
Wristbandsmustbewornonraceday.Thecaptainwillbe
responsibleforhandingoutthewristbandstoteammemberson
themorningofraceday.Wristbandswillbelocatedintheteam
captain’sregistrationpackettheyreceiveatcheckin.Wristbands
tellraceofficialsthatyouhavesignedallthenecessarywaivers.
Yourteamshouldbringatentforshadeatthefestival.A10'x10'
pop-upcanopyisbest.Youmaywanttobringweightstoanchorthe
tentlegsandpreventthetentfromblowingover.Longtentstakes
areNOTallowed.Pleasebeawareofthemarkedsprinklerheads
andflaggedpowerlinesthroughoutthepark.
Eachteamwillhavepre-determinedtentspacelabeledwithyour
teamnumber.
Yourteamisresponsibleforsettingupyourtent.Youmaybeginas
earlyasFridayat5:00p.m.Securityison-siteFridaynight.Tents
shouldbesetupanddecoratedby8:00a.m.onSaturday.
Youmaybringacoolerwithbeveragesandothersnacks.Foodand
colddrinkswillalsobeavailableatvariousconcessionstands.
Weencourageteamstobringchairs,tables,decorations,snacks,
footballs,sunscreen,hats,towelsandgarbagebagsforyourtent
area.
Protectyourvaluables.Wewillnotbeabletoprotectthemforyou.
Idea:Someteamsbringacontainerandaskanon-rowingfriendto
watchtheteam’svaluables(phones,cameras,wallets,etc.)
MinocquaDragonBoatFestival
BeforePracticesandRaceDay
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YouWILLgetwet.Itisawatersport.Ifyoupaddleontherightside,
therightsideofyourbodywillbewet.Ifyoupaddleleft,theleft
sidewillbewet.Pleasedressandprepareaccordingly.
Developanindividualpledge-raisingplan.
Getpreparedbyhydratingandexercisinginadvance.Keepinmind
thisisanaerobicsport.Hydrationisveryimportant.Formoreabout
hydration,readmoreaboutitonWebMD.com.
Bepreparedforrigorousexercise.Don’thavemuchtimetoworkout
inadvance?Usequickexercisebursts.
Whenitheatsupoutside,acclimateyourbodytotheweatherand
uselessairconditioning.
Practicesandraceswillhappenrainorshine.Lightningandother
severeweatherwilldelaypracticesorraces.
Practice
AllpracticeswillbeheldatTorpyPark,Minocqua,WI.Practicesarevitalto
theDragonBoatexperience.Practicetimewillhelpyourteambecome
familiarwiththeboatandlearnthetechnique,aswellasmastertiming.
• Themoreteammembersthatshowforpractice,thebetteryour
teamperformsonraceday.
• Allcaptainsneedtocheck-inattheregistrationtablepriortotheir
trainingsessiontoreviewrosterandwaiverinformation.
• Ifyouhavechangestoyourroster,newteammembersmustbe
presentwithyouattheregistrationtabletoupdateregistrationand
waivers.
• Teamsassemble30minutesbeforescheduledpracticetimeand
collectPFDsandpaddles.
• DockStaffwillassistteamstoboatloadingarea.Steerspersonwill
beassignedbyPanAmDragonBoat.
TeamCaptain’sMeeting
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Preparationforheatsoneandtwowillbeginat8:00a.m.Eachteamwill
competeintwoheats.Theaveragetimeofthetwoheatswilldetermine
iftheteamwillqualifytocompeteinthefinalsofheat3.Captainsneed
tomakesurethateachteammemberhassignedawaiverandis
wearingtheirwristband.
RaceDay
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AteamCaptain’smeetingwillbeginpromptlyat7:15a.m.onraceday
attheMarshallingareainTorpyPark.TeamCaptainsandsteerspeople
MUSTattend.
Thedragonboatracecourseisa300-meterrunonLakeMinocqua
infrontofTorpyPark.Yourteamwillbeoutfittedwithpaddles,
personalflotationdevicesand,ofcourse,aDragonBoat.
You’llberacinginathreeorfourboatheatinlakewater.
Theracecourseisastraight,markedcourse.
Eachteamwillhaveadesignatedarea.Teamsmaypurchasesnacks,
foodanddrinksfromfestivalvendors.
Noalcoholispermittedintheteamstagingarea.
ReporttoyourTeamTentareaanhourbeforetherace.
Yourteamwillreporttothemarshalingarea20minutesbefore
yourfirstrace.
Marshalingofficialsandvolunteerswillinstructyourteamtoline
up,andthenalertyouwhenit’stimetoloadtheboat.
Youwillpaddleonceinthemorning,onceintheafternoonon
Saturday,andchampionshiprace,ifyouqualify.
Youmayalsoconsiderbringinggamestoplaybetweenracing.Some
teamsbringcornhole,footballs,Frisbees,etc.
Asasafetyprecaution,paddlersarenotallowedtodrinkbeeror
consumeotheralcoholicbeveragesuntiltheirparticipationinthe
racesiscompleted.
Thereareplentyofportabletoiletfacilities.Weplanonproviding
enoughTPtolastthroughtheevent,butexperiencedpaddlers
knowtoBYOTP!
Don’tforgettobringwaterproofsunscreenandreapplyiteverytwo
hours,hats,sunglassesandprotectiveclothingsuchasalongsleeve
shirt.
Thepublicwillhaveaccesstoyourpersonalbelongings,soplease
don’tleavevaluablesunprotected.Youareresponsibleforyour
team’sbelongingssopleaseplanaccordingly.
MinocquaDragonBoatFestival
AdditionalRaceDetailsandRules
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Theraceis300meters.
Eachteamisadvisedtocarefullychecktheboatandpaddles
allocatedbeforeracingandrequestanyspares.Raceofficialsare
obligatedtoreplacedamagedequipmentattherequestofateam
beforetheteamleavesthemarshallingarea.
Teammembersneedtoberespectfulofalldragonboatfestival
equipment;theymaynotpurposefullydamageoralterthe
equipment.
Sounddevicesincludingradios,electronicsignalingdevices,
bullhorns,airhorns,whistles,generatorswithadecibelratingover
65dBAandothernoisemakingdevicesareprohibited.
Eachteammembermustbephysicallyfitenoughtoparticipate.
Thismeansthattheteammembercanswim100meterswhile
wearingaPFD.Theteamcaptainmustmakesureallteammembers
cancomplywiththisregulation.
Anyteamthatfailstoreturnafterafalsestartorthatcausestwo
falsestartswillbedisqualifiedfromthatrace.
Eachboatmustremaininitscorrectlaneandmustnotinterfere
withotherboatsintherace.
Anyteamthatallowsanon-waivered/non-registeredpersonto
participateasateammemberwillbesubjecttodisqualification.
Anypersonobservedbyanofficialtobeundertheinfluenceof
alcoholordrugsshallberemovedfrompaddlingandcannotbe
replaced.Inaddition,thatperson’steammaybedisqualified.
TheRaceCommitteeandPanAmericanDragonBoatreservethe
righttorefusetheuseofanydragonboatorequipmenttoateam
memberfailingtofollowtheserules.
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TheRaceCommitteewillinvestigatetheappealanddiscussthe
appealwithraceofficialswhowillmakethefinalruling.
TherulingoftheRaceCommitteeisfinalandwithoutappeal.
Noprotestswillbeallowedconcerningequipment.
Intheeventofaprotest,onlytheteamcaptainswillbepermittedin
orneartheRaceCommitteetent.Ifotherteammembersare
present,teamdisqualificationmayresult.
Questions
FeelfreetocontacttheHowardYoungFoundationwithany
questions/concerns,orforadditionalinformation:715-439-4005,
[email protected]
Appeals
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Appealsmustbemadebytheteamcaptainonly.
AllprotestsmustbemadetotheHeadRaceOfficialatthefinishline
tentwithin15minutesoftheconclusionoftheraceheatinwhich
thepenaltywasassessedatafeeof$25.Thisfeeisnon-refundable
unlesstheRaceCommitteerulesinfavoroftheteamsubmittingthe
appeal.
MinocquaDragonBoatFestival