Dragonship Cup

On Saturday, 11 March 2023, the final of this year’s 11th edition of the international indoor dragon boat race will take place from 10:30 a.m. in Prague Podolí. The competition is not only for the best team of the race from five EU countries in Prague, but also for the title of Czech Champion and the winner of this year’s series of indoor races in Ostrava and Prague. For the 11th edition of this very attractive race in Prague, 28 crews from 5 countries are entered, more than 250 competitors in total. Indoor Cup in Prague is organized by Prague Dragon Boat Club (PDBC) for the eleventh time.

The all-day final challenging duel of strong arms, i.e. the International Indoor Dragon Boat Cup, will take place from 10:30 a.m. in the Prague indoor pool in Podolí. The competition will be held in the MIX category (eight competitors including at least two female competitors) and the WOMEN category (eight women). The race starts at 10:30 a.m. with a very unusual spectacle, namely the ritual of awakening the dragon or dragon dance. “We are happy that crews from Hungary, Germany, Poland and Slovakia will come again for this 11th edition,” says Jan Tomíček, member of the PDBC Executive Committee, adding: “the organisation is time-consuming, sometimes the boat capsizes even in the pool and has to be bailed out.”

Dragon boat races take place all year round. From April to October, dragon boat races are held on dams, rivers, lakes and ponds. These unique indoor races are held in winter in pools with slightly different rules. “On Saturday, we will gather for the finals of this year’s series, where, among other categories, the title of Czech Champion and Winner of this year’s series of indoor dragon boat races will be awarded. The races are exciting and there is never a lack of good mood,” adds Jozef Borčin, member of the PDBC Executive Committee. Entrance to the pool for spectators is possible, fans are welcome and not only for this spectacle! At the Prague Dragon Boat Club, right at the race, newcomers interested in this increasingly popular sport can also sign up. Dragon boat training sessions for up to 20 paddlers take place during the summer on the Vltava River in Prague – Braník.

How do you race the boats in the pool?

The crews sit in one boat facing each other and try to push each other over. For the uninitiated, this style could be compared to tug-of-war. The crew that pushes the opponent over wins. The dragon boat seats 8 competitors from each team and at least 2 women in the mixed category. So there are 16 paddlers in the boat. The boat will then move to the centre of the pool where the race will start with the traditional international command: “Are you ready? Attention! Go!” The paddlers take off and the boat finally gets underway. The winner is the crew that has pushed past its opponent and thus gets closer to the line judge at the other end of the pool.

Place: Podolí Swimming Stadium, Podolská, Prague 4, Czech Republic
Date: Saturday, 11.03.2023
Start: 10:30 a.m.
Admission: free of charge

Discover with us the best EVENTS IN PRAGUE.