Dragon Boating:
UCDHSC team lets the oars soar
Asian American Student Services
While various students have competed on different teams for the Colorado Asian Dragon Boat festival the past five years, 2006 saw the first UCDHSC team, sponsored by Asian American Student Services on the downtown Denver campus and Office of Diversity at the health sciences center. The 20-person boat won its first race in a clean sweep and lost its second race in a heartbreaking 500th of a second.
Colorado’s Dragon Boat Festival always takes place on the hottest weekend in July—this year on July 30, explains Peggy Lore, director of Asian American Student Services. The racing first took place in China and now several United States cities now host the event. Skillfully constructed and designed boats that hold 18 rowers, a drummer and a flag catcher were brought to Sloans Lake from Iowa for the race. Contestants were allowed 45 minutes of practice before the contest began.
Students and staff practiced weekly for a month to prepare for what was a first time experience for most of the team. What mattered for this team? Team Captain, Mitchell Heman, an engineering student, said it best, “We came together, a group of relative strangers, and we built an amazing team with friendships that will last a long time. Next year, we’ll go for it again.”
For more information about plans for next year, please contact Nimol Hen or Peggy Lore at 303 352-3520. For more information about the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, go to http://www.coloradodragonboat.org/.