Dragon Boat Races

Since 1993, the London Dragon Boat Race Festival has held this exciting community event with not only the races, but great food, interesting cultural displays and different arts and crafts.

For the first time, this year the London Dragon Boat Race Festival partnered with the Rowbust Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Racing Team. The London Festival events and community racing were held as always on the Saturday, but as an added bonus, Rowbust marked their 10th Anniversary, racing on Saturday and Sunday with teams coming from across Canada and the US. I'm sure there were at least 12 or 15 Rowbust teams, plus the many commercial teams competing. Proceeds for this event went to Children's Hospital London Health Sciences Centre.

A close up of the ferocious dragon figureheads on each boat.


Six boats competed per heat, advancing along through the weekend.


The winning team in this heat crosses the finish line.

Celebrating by splashing the drummer who keeps the beat for the rowers in each boat, more than welcomed on this very hot day!


To keep the races going, the next group of boats is already heading down to the other end of the "race track" before the finishing teams have come in to the docks.


Two of the heads that are worn in a traditional Lion Dance as part of the ceremonies.


One of the groups comprising the Rowbust Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Racing Team.