Dragon Boat Racing, a major sport in many Asian countries, is growing in popularity here in the United States.

It stems from an event that occurred more than 2,400 years ago in China, when the poet Qu Yuan, a minister and councilor to the Emperor, was cast into exile as a result of his politically sensitive poems.  In an act of desperation and sorrow, Qu Yuan drowned himself.  Local fisherman raced to the scene in their long, swift boats, splashing their oars and beating their drums to prevent his body from being despoiled by the fish.

The average age on the Philadelphia Dragon Boat team is currently 34, proving that maturity , experience and hard training can prevail in a sport where intensity, focus and tight synchronization will win races.  The team maintains a completely open membership in training, with the starting 20 racers determined by annual single-man trials.

In recent years, women began joining the team for mixed competitions.