Every fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar – this year 6 June – millions of people in China celebrate Duanwu Festival by attending colourful and noisy races. The Shanglong Dragon Boat Club has participated in Shanghai for over a decade, attracting expat paddling novices who want to be part of the age-old tradition.

The legend of Dragon Boat Festival states an admired poet and government official from the Zhou Dynasty, Qu Yuan, committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River after being banished for fighting against the state’s corruption. In an attempt to recover his body, mourners paddled out to the beat of a loud drum to scare away the fish.

Shanglong Dragon Boat Club member Sara Slone believes it’s the pageantry and ceremonies that have since evolved to make the sport more interesting for both spectators and competitors. The striking dragon-shaped boats, the intricate drumming and boisterous spectator encouragement from the riverbanks make dragon boat racing very unique. “I love that before the races can begin, the dragons must be woken up by having their eyes painted on,” she says. “The majority of races are more of a festivity than a competition.”

Members of Shanglong join for the fun of team building and the chance to take part in this traditional Chinese sport. In addition, the club provides access to waterways rowing aficionados won’t find elsewhere in cramped Shanghai. “After doing it for a few weeks you start to get into shape and you feel muscles that you didn’t even know you had,” Slone adds.

The amateur paddlers get together every Sunday to practice for a few of hours at the Water Sports Center on Dianshan Lake in Qingpu district. Participants from all over the world are drilled in correct stroke technique to get in sync with teammates. “Most boats require 22 people: 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steersman,” Slone explains. “The paddlers sit side by side, two to a row. The drummer sits in front, pacing the rhythm of the stroke while the steersman stands in the back and controls the direction.”

Approximately 40 members train every week for competitions all over China. During the dragon boat racing season, from May to July, the government invites local and international teams to compete against each other in 500 – 1,500m short distance races. The Shanglong team plans to be on the water for a week during the next international race in June, the 32km-long Three Gorges Race.

Men and women of all ages can join – it is as simple as showing up on a Sunday morning with RMB 60 in your pocket and a willingness to learn. The sport is all about technique, endurance and working together with a team – you don’t have to be a paddling expert. Moreover, Sloane is quick to highlight other perks of the club. “As a team we get together for different activities outside of paddling,” she says. “We’ve organised trekking and camping outings, and put together a training camp and BBQ at the Water Sports Center in the past.”

Web: www.dragonboatsh.org