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 It has been reported that there were several dragons seen moving across Lake Dora recently. The rhythmic beating of drums accompanied the sightings, and it appeared that there were several people riding these dragons.
Actually, it was the fourth annual Central Florida Dragon Boat Festival, sponsored this year by Florida Choice Bank, a two-day event which features dragon boat races, accompanied by a festival in Wooten Park, Tavares. The festival began on Friday evening, May 19, with opening ceremonies for the races and the symbolic awakening of
the dragons.
This annual event is based on a Chinese legend that after a nobleman threw himself into a river, local people beat drums and splashed boat paddles to keep the fish away from the drowning nobleman. The 40-foot boats used in these races are made in Dailon, China, and each boat holds up to 20 paddlers, including a steersman and a drummer beating a large drum. Paddlers move their paddles in sync as a team as they glide a distance of 500 meters near the shore.
Pringle Development’s team, known as the Blazing Paddles and led by Michelle Krueger, won their first and second races of the day. The Pringle team was sponsored by several businesses, including Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply, Inc., RLC Landscaping Co., Valley Crest Landscaping Maintenance, Central Florida Nursery and Courtney Plumbing, Inc.
The close cooperation between each participant was evident as they paddled together to place 2nd in their division (the 2nd fastest division of 7) and 5th place overall out of 21 teams. Average time was 2 minutes, 32 seconds...for 500 meters. WAY TO GO TEAM! (As an aside, the team that beat them in the final heat was a PROFESSIONAL TEAM from south Florida which gives you some idea of the effort and teamwork demonstrated by our Blazing Paddles.)
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