Dragonboat racing lures a curious mix

If you happened to be driving by Roxas Boulevard last Sunday morning, you probably would have found it hard to miss. That is, the throng of people lined up at Manila Bay for the first of the quarterly races of the 26th Amateur Rowing Association of the Phils. (ARAP) Regatta.

Through word of mouth among Philippine traditional boat race enthusiasts and their supporters was enough to amass a sizeable crowd at the docking area of the sport otherwise known as dragonboat rowing. But who exactly are the people behind this little-known sport? You’d be surprised if you took a closer look.

Long jump queen Elma Muros huffing and puffing on the water? An idea alien to many, but a familiar sight for her Philippine Navy teammates. In fact, a considerable number of dragonboat rowers actually come from different sports, using dragonboat rowing as an alternative training tool, or a means by which to take a break from the monotonous grind of their daily training schedules.

Sydney Olympics single skulls rower Benjie Tolentino, although belonging to a different rowing discipline, acknowledges the benefits of rowing with a dragonboat team every once in a while. "If you just concentrate on your event, you get bored easily," he says. "Besides, I row alone most of the time, so this is a welcome break for me since this is a team event and I get to meet a lot of people."

Considering the collectively shared pain and agony these rowers undergo together, especially during the last couple of hundred meters of a race, it is inevitable that many close bonds form within the team. Philippine Dragonboat Team skipper Sonny Curameng, a veteran of many national and international competition, attests to the friendships built around the strong foundation of their common love for the sport. "Dito sa dragonboat nabubuo ang barkadahan, pati na rin sa labas, magkakabarkada kami," he says. In fact, Sonny adds that some members of the team have actually had their houses built in close proximity with each other. "Magkapitbahay na yung iba," he muses.

Whatever the benefits dragonboat rowing has to offer, it definitely has to be worth it for these athletes to wake up at 5 a.m. and drag their half-asleep bodies to Manila Bay most weekday and weekend mornings. Forget the odious stench of the Bay or the unforgiving battery of the sun’s rays. These people are in it for their own reasons.

Of course, there are those who come to the races just to watch the beautifully sculpted bodies of the men and women rowers. But that’s different story.