Lagan Dragons Dragon Boat Club

We hire dragon boats from Bryson LaganSports and train on the Lagan on Saturday mornings from April to October, and during the winter months we continue our fitness regime with dry land training. Our training caters to all levels of fitness and competences and most new members have negligible experience of any form of water sports. We strive to improve everyone’s overall fitness but everyone is encouraged to train to their own level and abilities.

Although the emphasis is on fun and enjoyment in the pursuit of improved fitness, there is a significant competitive element for those members who wish to take part in international regattas. Dragon boat racing involves teams of up to 20 paddlers in a 40-foot boat which has a dragon’s head and a drum mounted at the front. The helm at the back steers the boat while the drummer keeps the beat and motivates the crew during races: a dragon boat race is an exciting spectacle and involves participants paddling frantically and noisily to beat other teams down the course. However the regular weekly training sessions consist of an hour of steady paddling to build up stamina, strength and technique, followed by a very welcome cuppa and a chat. Numbers are such that we now regularly have 2 full boats out at the same time, one of which involves much more strenuous training than the other, which is useful for less experienced novice paddlers or those who want a less strenuous workout. The club always has its next regatta in mind and training regimes are developed accordingly by its head coach, Gino (a very modest former world champion K1 kayaker), aided by our 2 other trained and qualified helms, Joanne and Jo, both founder members (Joanne was also the inspiration and determination behind the club’s inception).