• EXCITING

    No previous experience necessary

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    Suitable for all adult ages

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    Do whatever it takes ...

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    So close ...

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    Having GREAT Fun!

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    Has your team got what it takes, to

    Race The Dragon?

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Charity Dragon Boat Festivals helps registered charities large and small, benefit from the large incomes a charity dragon boat event can generate.  Our Charity Dragon Boat Challenges are events where teams from either your company or your community organisation, can enter and raise funds for your nominated registered charity.  We also encourage registered charities to promote the event to their supporters and get teams entering to raise funds for them.


Suitable for both novice and experienced teams alike, NO previous experience is necessary as all training and instruction is given on the day.  For more details on what is involved, click on What each event entails below.

  • What Each Event Entails

    Teams race in genuine Chinese dragon boats, especially imported from China and provided by the UK's leading professional dragon boat event's company "Race The Dragon Ltd."  Along with all the boats, 'Race The Dragon' will also supply paddles and buoyancy aids for all competitors whilst on the water and also, a helms person who will steer your team's boat (teams are NOT expected to steer their own boat).


    A dragon boat team is made up of (unless otherwise specified on an event's website), up to seventeen team members (sixteen paddlers and a team drummer). ​ Before each team's first race, everyone will be given a full safety briefing and also instruction on the technique used. Teams will then collect their paddles and put on their buoyancy aids before paddling up to the start line for their first race.  


    Over the course of the event, teams will compete in three timed qualifying heats, where their single fastest time only will count for Grand Final qualification. (So one or two disasters no problem, as long as out of your three heats, you get at least one good time).


    Team work is vital if a fast time is going to be achieved and for this reason, the instructors will also give further 'on the water' training to help with technique. Over the distance we race (200 meters), fitness is not a key factor - technique however is because it's a team sprint where team work and timing is everything.  


    What you will be aiming to achieve is an opportunity to compete in the last race of the event ... the Grand Final. This will be a race where all the dragon boats that can be safely raced together will race one last time and first across the finish line will be declared: Dragon Boat Champions of the event


    The event will finish with our award ceremony where team trophies will be awarded to the Captain's of the top three teams and Winner's Medals to each member of the winning team.  


    To see how the first Manchester Charity Dragon Boat Challenge worked in 2022, visit https://www.charitydragonboatfestivals.org.uk/manchester.

    (Please be aware that in 2022, the day was delivered with COVID social distancing still in mind and therefore comprised two "mini-events" rather than our usual full day event.)

  • Why a Charity should partner with Charity Dragon Boat Festivals for their next big event

    With charities striving to reduce internal costs, fund raising focus is moving away from internally organised events, to utilising the cost advantage of partnering with professionally organised external events.  


    Whether these events are endurance style event's, Santa Runs or Dragon Boat challenges, the advantage to the charities are obvious; not only can they offer their corporate and community partners a wider diversity of exciting events, they can do it with lower costs and less risk.

The next step:

Charities interested in becoming an Event partner with us need to click HERE.


Teams wanting to raise funds for a registered charity of their choice (or charities wanting to enter a team) should:


  1. Scroll over Events and choose a 2024 event to enter, then on the event's page
  2. Click the green  "Enter HERE >>>" button to access that event's online team registration form.
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