LIVING ROOT DRAGON BOAT WINS SECOND PLACE IN C DIVISION AT HARTFORD DRAGON BOAT RACE

Boston, Massachusetts — Living Root Dragon Boat, a Boston dragon boat club, won Second Place in the C Division at the Hartford Dragon Boat Race on Saturday September 17, 2005.

“This race went much more smoothly for the team after a rough day of racing in Pawtucket the previous weekend,” says LRDB President, Bob Lee. “We had a few slip-ups in our last race that took a few seconds off of our time but for being such a new team, everyone still paddled with a lot of heart and didn’t give up.”

LRDB received sponsorship from an anonymous energy drink manufacturer, LäraBar, the law firm of Robinson & Cole LLP, Stacy’s Pita Chip Company, and TsingTao.

“We’re extremely grateful to have also received the generous of Robinson & Cole LLP, which has supported dragon boat racing in Hartford every year since 2001,” adds Mr. Lee. “Eric Daniels, Tom Cody and other attorneys and the staff at the firm have been extremely supportive of the sport over the last several years.”

LRDB is also sponsored by Lee Technical Athletics and has partnerships with AccesSportAmerica, the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Patagonia, Whirling Girl, Lotus Designs, Dragon Boat World Magazine, and Water Girl. The team needs $40,000 over two years to help train and equip its members including the purchase of a state-of-the-art fiberglass, 41’ long dragon boat. The club is seeking sponsors and other partnership relationships to meet these financial goals as well as to develop a dragon boat youth program.

“Our training won’t be stopping as it gets colder,“ says Mr. Lee. “We’ll be training indoors at pools by November so that we’ll hit the ground running at the Boston Dragon Boat Festival in June 2006. ‘Consistent effort, achieve results’, is our motto. This is a team that’s going to go places. If you want to work with an up and coming dragon boat organization, whether as a paddler or as a sponsor, we want to work with you.”

ABOUT LIVING ROOT DRAGON BOAT, INC.

Living Root Dragon Boat, a Boston dragon boat club, is a Massachusetts 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. LRDB’s mission is to promote the sport of dragon boat and cross-cultural understanding through the sport of dragon boat, corporate teambuilding, and community outreach programs.

ABOUT DRAGON BOAT

Dragon boat racing is an ancient Chinese sport that has become a global phenomenon held in over 40 countries around the world. According to Paddler Magazine, dragon boat racing is the fastest growing water sport and the second most popular water sport in the world. In the U.S. alone, there are several hundred clubs and teams that compete annually in the sport of dragon boat. In North America, dragon boats are constructed of either wood or fiberglass and typically hold 20 people paddling in unison with a drummer and steerer at the front and back respectively.
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