Arlington Heights dragon boaters defending home lake in weekend races
Members of an Arlington Heights-based dragon boat racing club will be defending their home lake this weekend at a national competition for the burgeoning sport's enthusiasts.
The Windy City Dragon Boat Club regularly practices at Lake Arlington on the north side of Arlington Heights, which is the site of the United States Dragon Boat Federation Club Crew National Championships. Winners in each division will advance to the 2016 World Championships in Adelaide, Australia.
“This is what we train for,” said Heidi Shouder, a club member who lives in the Arlington Heights neighborhood adjacent to the lake. “It's huge. It's a very big deal.”
Dozens of teams, coming from as far as Pennsylvania and Florida, will compete in the races, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. The Windy City Dragons is the only Chicago-area team in the national competition, which also includes teams from DeKalb and Racine, Wisconsin.
“We expect that we will beat both of those teams,” Shouder said. “We definitely know people (on those teams). There's definitely a rivalry. If we win (nationals), then we'd represent the U.S. on the international level.”
That's exactly happened in 2013, when the Dragons won in New Jersey and went on to compete in the World Championships the following year in Ravenna, Italy. They came home with gold medals in two races and the bronze in two others.
About 40 people are in the Windy City Dragons, both men and women, ranging in age from 20 to 60.
It's the first time Lake Arlington is hosting the national competition, which is being held in conjunction with the annual Walgreens Chicago International Dragon Boat Festival, a less competitive event for club and corporate teams scheduled for Saturday. In addition to the races, music and cultural Chinese performances are scheduled throughout the day, beginning at 10 a.m.
Shouder said the popularity of dragon boat racing is growing, evident by more teams entering every year.
Initially drawn to competitive sports through softball, Shouder first heard of dragon boat racing when she moved to the Lake Arlington area four years ago. Someone told her about the club's free practice sessions for those interested in learning more about the sport, and after attending one, she became hooked.
“It's something completely different. And I like the idea of team sports,” she said.
Dragon boating began more than 2,000 years ago in China as a religious ceremony, but has developed in recent years as an international sport. A total of 20 paddlers sit two per row in each boat, all trying to paddle in unison to the beat of a drummer in the front of the boat. A sternsman stands in back, guiding the direction of the boat.
The vessel itself resembles a long canoe, and is decorated on its exterior with a decorative Chinese dragon head and tail.
Shouder said the best strategy in a dragon boat race is to always stay focused, and not watch what the other boats are doing. But the start of the race is probably the most important.
“The starts tend to be very quick,” she said. “As soon as the boats are aligned, they're yelling ‘Go.' The boat that gets out of the hole the first is probably going to win the race. A lot is depending on the start.”