Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival

Parade of Dragon Boat Teams

Among the sharpest outfits were those worn by "Women on Fire" one of several teams from Canada. Besides lookin' good, these gals could paddle too. They had the 11th fastest qualifying time of the 86 teams in the race. > > >

< < < Having fun definitely is part of the motivation of many teams. I think these "Bee Ladies and Gentlemen" were the "YellowJacket" Team from UW Superior.

< < < One of my favorite teams was "Smoke on the Water" led in the parade by their bagpipe man - who brought his pipes in the boat too!

Opening Dragonboat Ceremony and Entertainment

The teams assembled for the opening ceremonies and the Waking of the Dragon. > > >

< < < The opening ceremony included raising both the Canadian and American Flags plus each country's national anthem.

Terrific entertainment by "Misora Taiko" . . . a Japanese Drum ensemble. Every foot in the place was taping to the rhythm as the drums thundered across the landscape.

Superior Dragon Boat Race Day

The "Intimidate-Oars" team had the fastest overall qualifying time in the heat races and finished 3rd in the Finals. > > >

< < < The "Stone Dragons" team (#1) and the "Better Dragons" team (#4 lane) were a photo finish in their heat. They also went head to head in the Finals, finishing first and second. The Stone Dragons of the Duluth Boat Club were the grand champions.

My sentimental favorite team - the "Quetico-Superior Dragons" - was a joint US-Canadian team with 2/3rds of its paddlers competing in their first dragon boat competition. They made it to the finals and finished fourth. > > >

< < < The "Quetico-Superior Dragons" get ready to pass the reviewing stand after winning their second heat race.

The announcers in the reviewing stand kept everyone abreast of race results as well as entertaining sidebar banter with the racers and each other. > > >

Video & Photos from the 2011 Lake Superior Dragonboat Festival & Race

It was a beautiful day for a race. A few clouds to keep it from getting too hot. Only a light breeze on the water.

Some members of the Arashi Team warm up before the Championship race. Guess it paid off. They won by a fraction of a second, in a photo finish, over WikiWiki Wahine.

< < < Lane 4, Arashi, was the photofinish winner over Lane 3, WikiWiki Wahine in the overall Gold Division Championship. Close behind were A Better Dragon in Lane 1 and Legends in Lane 2.

The race timing system involves a high definition video recording system that records 1500 frames per second.

< < < Lane 3, Women on Fire, was the winner of the women's division over Lane 2, Doggie Paddlers, and Lane 1 Invicible Dragon-Women. WikiWiki Wahine did not compete because they were in the overall Gold Division Championship.

WikiWiki Wahine, second place overall, is the US National Women's Champion and will be representing the US in the 2012 World Dragon Boat Championship in Hong Kong. Sponsorhips & Fundraising Info Here.