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riental has hosted summertime dragon boat races for half a decade, and during that time more and more other communities have put on their own events on rivers and lakes. But now, Oriental has the distinction of being the first community in the US to host an indoor dragon boat race. Six teams helped Oriental stake that claim on Saturday, February 21 at the Village Health and Fitness Club pool.

Two teams in the same boat – competing to cross to the opposite side of the pool. That was the aim in Oriental’s first indoor dragon boat race on February 21. It is thought to be the first of its kind in the US. (Winnipeg claims the North American first.)

Instead of teams of 22 members paddling in boats that are aligned side by side for the outdoor races, the indoor competition put two 8-member teams in the same boat, facing each other, paddling furiously forward to get to the other side of the pool. It’s in effect a push-of-war.
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The indoor dragon boat race may’ve at times looked like white water paddling in the usually calm waters of the Village Club pool. Here, Oriental’s Gnarly Pirates show some gnarliness.

Several teams of Cherry Point Marines came to Oriental to take part as did three home-grown Oriental teams – including the outdoor racing veterans in the Gnarly Pirates and the home-pool octet, the Fitness Fanatics. That team from Village Health and Fitness emerged as the victors on Saturday

A dragon awaits the competition, though all the competition would take place within the boat behind the dragon’s head.

The indoor race came just as the Asian Lunar new year was getting underway. Since frigid temps had scrubbed Thursday’s Chinese Dragon Run on Hodges Street, the dragon running team instead danced their dragon from the Triton Boat Yard at Midyette and Broad across Broad and in to the Club’s parking lot just before the racing began.

In the later heats, to ramp up the competition, each team was told to give up one paddle. Cherry Point Marine corporal Clarence Moore pitched in to his team’s effort, despite being in the pool without a paddle.

Sporting red silk, Jeff Aydelette prepared to start a race.

The city of Winnipeg, Manitoba was the first in North America to extend the dragon boat racing season in this way. Local dragon boat racing organizers, Flora Moorman and Jeff Aydelette decided in January to try it here in Oriental.

The event coincided with the start of the Asian lunar new year. The town’s Chinese Dragon welcomed in its 5th new year in Oriental. During the dragon boat race, thematic headdresses could be found around the pool’s edge … .

Flora Moorman notes that the Canadians had 65 teams competing. She’s hoping that with a bit more advance planning next year, the indoor race will build on the half dozen teams who took part in the two hours of raacing this year. The inaugural event this year, she says, raised more than $400 for the Village Club’s Journey of Hope program for cancer survivors.

… and in it.

The Village Club’s Fitness Fanatic team raises paddles after winning a heat. The home pool team won the top ranking in the indoor dragon boat race.

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Another contest underway.. but not far and not for long. The races lasted up to 30 seconds or til one team crossed a line at the opposite end of the pool.

Winners of the first indoor dragon boat race in Oriental and the US — the home-pool team, Fitness Fanatics from Village Health and Fitness.

Bailing was necessary between heats.

The Village Club pool’s waters, usually plied by swimmers, was more dramatically a-churn in Saturday’s competition.

Five Marines from Cherry Point.

Two teams of Cherry Point Marines competed, at times without benefit of paddles.

Prepping to go in to the fray,..

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Without a paddle, Cherry Point Marine corporal Clarence Moore nonetheless helped his team.

Jeff Yorkey helped paddlers in to and out of the boat.

2 teams (comprised of 8 team members) competed against each other in the same boat. The team, Fitness Fanatics seen here, won the competition.

Some of the younger spectators took to the spirit of the start of the Asian lunar new year.

A moment of psyching before a heat.

Waters a-churn.

Taylor Townsend was too small to compete but did share her great-uncle Larry Summers’ bronze medal. The Gnarly Dragons were one of three teams to snare a bronze.

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The pool at Village Club hosted the dragon boat competition.

Will Flannery was one of the line handlers positioned at the ends of the pool — tapped to keep the tender boat from smashing in to the pool’s walls.

The point was to paddle toward the other end of the pool, while the team facing yours in the boat did the same. Here, a team made up mainly of Cherry Point Marines wins one contest against Oriental’s Gnarly Pirates.

Rita Vorleiter captures a shot of her husband and the rest of the Fitness Fanatics team.

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Jeff Aydelette and Flora Moorman, organizers of the dragon boat festivals — indoors and out.

The Fun Pop Dragon team at left faced off against a squad of Marines.

On the sidelines, Oliver Townsend busied himself with his own dragon.

Fun Pop Dragon team in white shirts — made up of area residents and Marines — create some white water.

Oriental’s Gnarly Dragons team.

Two teams ready to compete against each other in the same boat.

Posted Tuesday February 24, 2015 by Melinda Penkava