News & Events

Race Teams

Here you will find everything you need to know about organizing a team: registration, requirements, soliciting pledges, and much more.

About Registration

Registration for the 2011 Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival will begin at 12:00am (midnight) on November 1st, 2011. We will once again host 190 teams over two days at Mooney’s Bay Park on June 17th-19th, 2011 in the heart of Ottawa.

The 2011 registration fee will be posted in October.

Register early to ensure you get the Tim Hortons Team Area site you want during festival weekend. This is the area where all 190 teams are allocated a 12x20 space to set-up a tent, etc. These sites may only be selected once a team has PAID IN FULL, based on availability.

OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE IN FIVE RACES:

Saturday's race schedule will include two 500m races.

The top 75 mixed teams and top 24 women's teams will advance to Sunday where they will compete in three additional races - one 500m and two 200m races (overall winners will be determined based on a combined total of their Sunday 500m race and their best 200m race).

We are very pleased to offer Online Team Registration, Online Waivers and Online Payment. Entry fee includes 2 team practices and all equipment is supplied.

Team Organizers/Captains may register their team and make the payment online. If you would like to make a payment using some other method, use the “Pay Offline” option at the end of the registration process and forward payment to the Festival Office at:

Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival*
180 Kent Street, Ground Floor
Ottawa, ON K1P 0B6

*Please make cheque payable to "Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival"

Once the payment has been authorized, organizers can add team members to their roster at any time. Team members can then sign their waivers individually online.

A team is not registered with the festival until registration is paid in full. The Executive Committee reserves the right to accept or reject late entries, at its discretion.

Registration is currently limited to 190 teams. We do maintain a waiting list in the event a team should withdraw from the festival. Registration closes - whatever may be the date - as soon as 190 teams have registered.

We are pleased to announce affiliations with the following associations:

Create a Team

Step 1: Filling the Boat
Filling a boat requires 20 people to paddle, someone to steer (very important), someone to drum or ‘call’ and a few people to act as spares. Mixed teams require that a minimum of eight (8) paddlers of BOTH genders must be paddling on the boat during the race. This does not include the drummer or the steersperson.

A paddler on a Mixed team may also paddle for a Women’s team and a paddler from a Women’s team may also paddle for a Mixed team.

A steersperson may steer for more than one team, however if there is a scheduling conflict, it is the team’s responsibility to provide an alternate steersperson or risk the chance of not racing.

Step 2: Defining Roles
Every dragon boat team that registers with the festival has three roles to fill - we recommend assigning these roles to different individuals to help in the success of your team. These people will be designated on your roster.

Team Organizer - Responsible for registering the team and liaising with the festival office.
Team Captain - Responsible for the team as a whole and for conveying all pertinent information to the team (practice times, race times, conduct of the team, attend team captain's meeting, explain rules).
Pledge Captain - Each team participating in the festival’s Pledge Challenge should assign a Pledge Captain. The Pledge Captain is responsible for distributing pledge kits to team members and for monitoring team members' progress to encourage them to collect the pledges. It is recommended that the Pledge Captain turn in the money collected by the team, however that responsibility can be left up to the individual paddlers.

These roles are suggestions only and you may develop a process that works better for you. If you come up with new ideas, please feel free to share them with us.

Step 3: Team Roster and Waivers
All team organizers/captains must fill out the online roster in the Team Administration area. You may enter the team admin area at any time and add members to your team. Once a team member’s name and email have been entered they will receive an individual email generated by the system asking them to register to your team. It is at this time that they will have the opportunity to sign their waiver online. If a team member does not have an email address they must submit a manual waiver to the festival office, either through their team captain/organizer or directly to the office.

PLEASE NOTE: An email address may only be used for one person; the email address automatically becomes the username for that individual therefore only one person may use that particular address. Manual waivers can be downloaded here.

All rosters must be completed by the designated deadline (see 2010 Rules & Regulations). All waivers must be signed by the designated deadline. Team members who have not signed their waivers may not participate in practices and will not be allowed to participate in racing. All team members who have signed a waiver will receive a wristband to wear over the weekend. Anyone without a wristband will not be allowed in a boat. Wristbands will be distributed to Team Captains at the Team Captain’s Meeting the Friday night before the festival weekend.

NEW RULE FOR 2010: Teams advancing to Sunday are NOT permitted to submit any roster changes after 6:00pm on Saturday, June 19th, 2010.

If you are having trouble forming a team please contact the Festival Office, and someone will be happy to speak with you and offer suggestions.

Step 4: Practicing
Once your team is registered you will need to practice and learn how to operate a dragon boat. For safety reasons, we do not let teams participate in the event unless they have practiced first.

Your team entry fee includes two practice times. Practices are not organized through the Festival Office and are generally held in June. Once your team is registered in the festival, your captain will receive instructions on how to book the practices with the Rideau Canoe Club. Click here to visit the Rideau Canoe Club FAQ page.

If you have registered your team and have not received instructions - or for any team related questions - please contact us.

Step 5: Participating on Race Weekend

Team Captain’s Manual
A Team Captain’s Manual will be posted on the website and a copy will be distributed to Team Captains at the annual Festival Launch in May.

Please refer to our dragon boat glossary for a list of commonly used terms in the sport of dragon boating.

Team Captain’s Meeting
Team Captains and Steerspeople MUST meet with the Race Officials on the Friday before the event at 6:30pm to review the rules and regulations, pick up any last minute information, and team identification wristbands.

Race Schedule
The Saturday morning race schedule will be available online approximately one week before the event.

Race Weekend
The Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival is a two-day event with races on Saturday and Sunday. Your team entry fee entitles you two races on Saturday, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and you may advance to the finals on Sunday depending on your qualifying time. Your best time from your two races on Saturday is used to determine whether you advance to the Sunday races. The top 75 mixed teams and top 24 women’s teams from Saturday will advance to Sunday. Depending on the make-up of your team, you may qualify to participate in a Challenge Cup. If you do qualify under a particular Challenge Cup category, that race will count as one of your two Saturday races. Refer to the Challenge Cups section below for a full listing of competitions. For those who don't qualify for one of these Cups, you will still get to race twice on Saturday.

Map and Directions

Click here for map

Dragon Boat Buddies:

Big Buddy - experienced organizers who have been a part of the Ottawa DBF in the past. Pass on your experience to a new team organizer ("Little Buddy") and be their onsite "buddy team" during the festival (cheer them during the races, join them for a beverage, etc).

Little Buddy - organizers who are putting together their team for the Ottawa DBF for the very first time or bringing an out of town team to the city. Ask your "Big Buddy" for advice about booking practices, organizing your boat, recruiting paddlers, and what to expect during festival weekend.

If you are interested in signing up to be partnered with a "Dragon Boat Buddy" please contact Shelley at team@dragonboat.net or 613-238-7711, x226.

Equipment

For this sport, each team races in a dragon boat that is supplied by the festival. During practice sessions, the dragon boats are not dressed up; however, on race day, the beautiful, colourful heads and tails will be attached.

Each paddler must wear a personal flotation device (PFD), which is also supplied by the Festival along with the paddles. Individuals will be allowed to use their own paddles, but the paddles must conform to approved specifications. These specifications can be found in the Team Captain’s Manual which will be distributed prior to the Festival.

Join a Team/Find a Paddler

The festival office staff will attempt to place any paddlers who are without a team by referring them to teams in need. If you are a paddler interested in joining a team please contact us by E-mail with the following information:

Name
Gender (interest in paddling with a mixed and/or women’s team)
Phone number and e-mail address
Skill level (beginner, experienced)
Age range of team

In addition to contacting our office you can also connect with paddlers/teams by visiting the following websites:

Facebook group

Rideau Canoe Club's Find a Team/Paddler

City offers dragon boat training courses!

The City of Ottawa is once again offering various introductory dragon boat training courses. This year they are expanding and offering both male and female courses. It's a great way to learn more about the sport and participate in the festival!

Click here for more information

Pledge a Team or Paddler

Donations to the Pledge Challenge can be made by following the DONATE NOW link.

For more information on the Pledge Challenge or the Ottawa Dragon Boat Foundation please visit www.dragonboatfoundation.net

Team Practices

IMPORTANT: WAIVERS MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE ATTENDING PRACTICES.

Please note that parking is very limited at the RCC during the upcoming festival practice period (starting June 1st). Please park at the Hog's Back parking lot, car pool or cycle. If you have any questions regarding the clinics or practices please contact Scott at dragon@rideaucanoeclub.ca.

Who runs the practices? A group of certified coaches from the Rideau Canoe Club (RCC) organize and run all practices.

How many practices are included with the festival registration? Your registration fee includes two complimentary practices with a regular coach (see coaching level link below). These practices must take place between June 1st - 17th, 2011.

When can practices be booked? Practices for the 2011 season may be booked starting in early January, 2011. When you are ready to book practices please send an email to dragon@rideaucanoeclub.ca indicating your team name, your requested coaching level and your team number. Your information will be entered into their online registration system and you will be sent a password so that you can login to book all of your practices.

The online booking system can be found at: http://www.eventsalive.com/dit/jsp/Login.jsp.

Current practice availabilities can be found at: http://www.eventsalive.com/dit/jsp/availabilities.jsp.

When do practices take place and what are the standard days and times? Festival practices take place between June 1st - June 17th, 2011. The 2010 booking times were: Weekdays - 6am, 7am, 4:45pm, 6pm, 7:05pm, and 8:10pm Weekends - 8am, 9am, 10:10am, 11:15am, and 12:30pm. If you would like a time during the day on week-days or week-ends please send an email to dragon@rideaucanoeclub.ca and they will do their best to accommodate your request.

How much do extra practices cost? Practice Fees for 2011 can be found on the RCC Dragon Boat practice fees page. Please note that if you book practices outside of the festival training period (June 1st- June 17th, 2011) then an insurance fee of either $2 or $7 will be charged to each person in the boat. For more information on insurance please see the insurance section.

The RCC pricing model for this season has changed; teams will now pay for their boat and coach separately. Coaches have been assigned a coaching level based on experience in our dragon boat program. When booking practices you will be asked to select a coaching level and you may request a specific coach. If the requested coach is not at the level selected it will depend on that coaches' availability. Priority for coaches will always be given to teams which have selected the coaching level of the requested coach. Please email dragon@rideaucanoeclub.ca if you would like to know the level of a coach.

What is the RCC's practice cancellation policy? A team may cancel a practice without charge if 24 hours notice is given. If less than 24 hours notice is given then the cancellation is subject to a charge of $25.

How do we pay for extra practices? Payments can be made by cash or cheque. Cheque is the preferred method of payment but cash will be accepted. Cheques should be made out to 'Rideau Canoe Club' and sent to the following address:

Rideau Canoe Club

314 Parkin Circle

Ottawa, ON K1T 4G6

After your practices are booked you will receive an invoice by email within a few weeks. Payment for any extra practices must be made before your first practice. If you require a receipt for practices please send an email to dragon@rideaucanoeclub.ca and one will be provided.

How long are practices? Practices are approximately 55 minutes in length. Plan to arrive about 15 minutes before your practice start time so that you are able to get on the water on time. In the case where members of the team are late, the practice will still end at the scheduled time.

Is there a clinic for steerspersons and/or drummers? The Rideau Canoe Club will be hosting steering/drumming clinics where steerspeople and drummers can receive one on one attention from experienced coaches. The RCC will also need paddlers to help out during the clinics (free work-out anyone?). Please check back in the spring for the dates and more details.

Where do the practices take place? The location of practices is at the Rideau Canoe Club. The RCC's address is 804 Hogs Back Road close to Prince of Wales Drive. It is right beside the Hogs Back locks. You can see a white building as you are driving down Hogs Back Drive.

When should my team arrive at the practice site? Teams should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start time of their practice. Make sure to allow yourself enough time to assemble your team. During the core festival training period from June 1st until June 17th there will be a many dragon boats at the RCC. In order to determine which boat you are practicing in please talk to one of the staff members (identified with festival T-shirts) or check the signs which indicate your corresponding boat number. Once you determine your boat number proceed to the number indicated by signs on the dock. Your coach will meet you there.

What should I wear to practices? When attending practices you should make sure to dress appropriately. You will get wet during these practices so try to choose clothes which are quick to dry. T-shifts and shorts typically work best.

Are there changing facilities on-site? Yes, but access is limited with so many teams practicing at the same time. Please change before arriving, if possible.

Do I need to bring anything to practices? Paddles and life jackets are provided but you may bring your own life jacket if you prefer. Due to the nature of the sport we also recommend teams bring water with them to drink during the practice, particularly on very hot days.

Where do I park for practices? There is limited parking available at the Rideau Canoe Club. Due to the number of people the RCC will not be able to handle all vehicles. Other options for parking include:

Hogs Back Park
Mooney’s Bay
Surrounding side roads

Please pay attention to all markings on the field when parking and do not block exits for parked cars. Some lines will be drawn on the field to indicate where cars should be parked.

Please note that you should allow yourself enough time to get to the practice site after you park. If there has been an extended period of rain the field will be closed for parking so plan ahead to find alternate parking arrangement.

IMPORTANT: There have been instances in the past of break-ins in the RCC parking lot. Please do not leave ANY valuables in your car. Dry bags can be purchased at Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart to allow you to take your keys, wallet, etc onto the boat with you during practice.

If it is raining are practices cancelled? No, practices are not cancelled if there is rain. The only situation where a practice may be cancelled is in the case of lightning. Typically these decisions are made on site and in the history of the festival only about 5 practices in total have been re-scheduled due to weather. Please note that when there is an extended period of rain the field will be closed for parking.

What are the insurance fees for extra practices? If you choose to book practices outside of the festival period (June 1st - June 17th, 2011) then there are RCC insurance fees applicable to each member who is practicing. The fees are as follows:

3 practices or less = $2/person
4 practices or more = $7/person

The maximum amount you can pay for the season is $7/person. This is a one time fee so if you were to continue training throughout the summer there would be no additional fee.

Do we need a steersperson? Every team must provide a steersperson for the race. Steering is not an easy task and we recommend that you appoint someone who has some canoeing or sailing experience (if possible). Steerspeople will be given instruction during the practice sessions but it is highly recommended that they attend at least one of the steering clinics.

What if we really can't find a steersperson? There are very few volunteer steerspeople available, but contact the festival office to see if anyone is offering their services. If you are finding it difficult to find a steersperson you are able to purchase a steersperson for $20 per practice. During festival weekend teams will have the option to pay the RCC for a steersperson for $25 per race. If you feel that you are going to need a steersperson for the race please contact the RCC in advance.

Team Sponsorships

All teams entering the festival can seek corporate sponsorship to cover team costs. Corporate sponsor's name and logos may be displayed on all team clothing and team tents. Please contact the festival office for ideas regarding team sponsorship and how to recognize potential sponsors.

Challenge Cups

Challenge Cup races are designed to increase competition among teams from local industry or community groups. If you choose to enter a Challenge Cup you will be grouped with similar teams for the first race of the weekend. If there are more than 8 teams in a Challenge Cup your afternoon race will serve as the Challenge Cup Final. Entering a Challenge Cup does not increase the number of times a team will race.

For the purpose of Challenge Cups please indicate the Challenge Cup your team would like to enter. Challenge Cup Teams must have a minimum of 9 people racing from the designated cup category. For example, if you are entering the High Tech Challenge your team must have a minimum of 9* paddlers who are employed with the High Tech organization the team represents or work in the High Tech industry.

The Challenge Cups listed below are existing Challenge Races. A Challenge Cup race will only run if there are three (3) or more teams for that particular category. If you are unsure about which category you qualify for please contact the Festival Office.

* Some cups require that the entire crew meet the criteria. These cups are marked with an asterisk.

Breast Cancer Survivors* – teams whose members are breast cancer survivors.

Building & Development - teams representing companies whose major business involves construction, project development, engineering consultants, building materials, etc.

Competitive – teams who consider themselves competitive and/or engage in 10 or more practices throughout the year.

Education – teams whose members attend or work for educational institutions, administration, or associated parent advisory associations.

Embassies & Foreign Missions – teams whose members work for embassies or foreign missions, or immigrant services or associated community associations.

Financial Services - teams representing companies or institutions providing financial services (Banks, Trust Companies, Investment, Insurance, Mortgage Brokers, etc.)

Girls n' Women and Sport* – Recreational women’s teams only.

Government – teams whose members work for federal, provincial or municipal governments.

High Tech - teams representing companies whose major business is the production of computer software and hardware, system interfaces, etc.

Health Care & Ambulance Services – teams whose members work for hospitals, medical clinics, ambulance services, or medical or dental offices.

Hospitality & Tourism - teams representing companies whose major business is providing hospitality or tourism services, accommodation or meals.

Legal - teams representing companies whose employees include lawyers, para-legals, etc.

Media - teams representing companies whose major business is television, radio or print (i.e. newspapers, magazines) production.

Navy Centennial - teams representing the Canadian Navy or Canadian Forces.

Police & Fire Fighters – teams whose members work for police forces, services or associations, or fire fighters, services or associations.

Professional Services - teams representing companies or businesses providing services in accounting, law, or associations.

40 and Over* – teams made up of men and/or women who are all over the age of 40

PLEASE NOTE: A team may only select ONE challenge cup category.

Special Races & Awards

Special Races:

2k Exhibition Race (top eight fastest teams after Saturday morning races)
The Footeworks World Championship 100m Sprint Cup (top ten fastest teams from Saturday’s final standings)
The Ottawa Dragon Boat Foundation Charity Challenge Cup Races (top sixteen fundraising teams as of 8pm on Friday, June 18th, 2010)

Special Awards:

Chairperson's Spirit Award Cup - awarded to the team with the best team spirit
Best T-shirt Design - awarded to the team with the most creative t-shirt
The Jubilee Fine Jewellers Rolex Fastest Race Time of the Event Cup - awarded to the team with the fastest 500m race time
NEW THIS YEAR! Best Team Site Design - awarded to the team with the most colourful & creatively decorated team site

Other Dragon Boat Festivals

Interested in attending other Dragon Boat Festivals across Canada? Here are just a few that are coming up this season:

Great St Lawrence Dragon Boat Race - June 12th, Brockville

Summer Splash - June 26th, Montreal

Kingston Dragon Boat Festival - July 24th, Kingston

Great White North Events:

16th Annual GWN Dragon Boat Challenge - Sept 11th & 12th, Toronto

3rd Annual Orlando International - Oct 17th, Orlando

Other Festivals:

For a more detailed list of events please visit www.dragonboatcanada.org

Other sites of interest:

2010 Team Resources

PLEASE CHECK BACK IN THE FALL FOR UPDATED 2011 TEAM RESOURCES.

Team FAQ Package

Click here to download a package of frequently asked questions

Paddler Waiver

Click here to download the waiver

Team Calendar of Events

Click here to download the 2010 Calendar of Events

Rules & Regulations

Click here to download the 2010 Rules & Regulations

Team Captain's Manual

Click here to download the Team Captain's Manual

General Information

As we get closer to the festival please check out our Festival Event Schedule for more information about entertainment schedules (Royal Oak Pubs Main Tent & Tim Hortons Children's Area), festival location, parking, bus shuttles and much more!

Visiting Teams & Supporters

Accommodations

Proud sponsor of the Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival

Experience a warm welcome and true hospitality the moment you arrive. Conveniently situated only 10 minutes from Mooney's Bay Park, the hotel is just 15 minutes from Ottawa International Airport and only steps away from Parliament Hill, the Byward Market and local attractions.

At the end of your races, relax in Sasha's Bar, connect with friends in the Link@Sheraton or settle into one of our spacious guest rooms for a comfortable evening.

Great rate for Dragon Boat Teams and supporters

To visit the Sheraton Ottawa dragon boat reservation centre, please click here.

Click on the link below to view the 2010 team area site map:

2010 Tim Hortons Team Area Site Map*

Team Area Site List

*Please note that some adjustments were made to site locations.