United States Dragon Boat Federation

The United States Dragon Boat Federation (USDBF) is the official national governing body for the sport of dragon boat racing in the United States and has been a Full Member of the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) since 1991. The United States was a Charter Member of the founding of the IDBF in 1990, via the American Dragon Boat Association of Iowa. The USDBF is also a member of the Pan American Dragon Boat Federation (PADBF). It is a volunteer organization.

The USDBF sends a national team to the IDBF World Nations Championships and representative teams to the IDBF Club Crew World Championships. It also organizes US national championships.

Mission The mission of the USDBF is “To promote the growth and development of dragon boating in the U.S. for fitness, recreation, and team building at all levels of competition.”

Regions & governance The USDBF is divided into four regions: Pacific, Midwest, Southeastern, and Eastern regions. Each region is governed by its own regional body; these governing bodies are the Pacific Dragon Boat Association of the West Coast (PDBA), the American Dragon Boat Association of the Mid-West (ADBA), the Southeastern Regional Dragon Boat Association (SRDBA), and the Eastern Regional Dragon Boat Association (ERDBA).

Club Crew National Championships (CCNC) The USDBF holds Club Crew National Championships in September of every other year. A team must have accrued enough points at USDBF-sanctioned races throughout the year to qualify to compete at the CCNC. The champions of the five divisions win berths to represent the US at the following year's IDBF Club Crew World Championships.

USDBF Club Crew National Championships have been held in the following locations: YearCityState1998FlushingNew York2000PhiladelphiaPennsylvania2002Lake MerrittCalifornia2004Fort DodgeIowa2006TampaFlorida2008Long BeachCalifornia2010ChattanoogaTennessee2011Fort DodgeIowa2013Mercer LakeNew Jersey2015Lake ArlingtonIllinois2017Mercer LakeNew Jersey2019Colorado SpringsColorado2021SarasotaFlorida2023SarasotaFlorida2025SarasotaFlorida

National team (Team USA) Source:

As a member of the International Dragon Boat Federation, the USDBF sends a national team ("Team USA") to the IDBF World Nations Championships, held in odd-numbered years. Team USA is organized by the High Performance Committee of the USDBF. Members are individually picked, similar to the Olympic Team USA. The United States competes in all divisions: Junior A (aka U18), Junior B (U16), U24, Premier, Senior A, Senior B (Grand Dragons), and Senior C (Great Grand Dragons). However, the US typically only competes in standard 20-person boats, and as of 2018, has only raced small 10-person boats on the international level in 2011.

The USDBF is also allowed five berths (in each division) to send representative club crews to the IDBF Club Crew World Championships, held in even-numbered years (see CCNC section above).

Selection process The specifics of different coaches' selection processes differ. However, all coaches use a combination of dry land testing and on-water testing. Attitude, experience, and body weight are also considered.

Dry-land testing typically consists of an ergometer (Concept 2 indoor rowing machine with paddle adapter) test, weight-lifting, and bodyweight exercises (push-ups, pull-ups, etc.). On-water testing typically consists of a time trial in an outrigger canoe. Some coaches use an OC-1, while others use an OC-2.

Coaches Team USA has had many coaches over the years. Some of them include: Robert "Bob" McNamara, Colleen McNamara, Pete McNamara, Randy Ng, Chris Marquart, Jaimie Richmond, Ellen Law, Pat Bradley, Jeff Kuhn, Joshua Hwung, Chitthavong "Kitt" Noythanongsay, and Nathan Salazar.

Robert "Bob" McNamara is the most successful dragon boat coach in the United States. The teams he has coached/co-coached have won over 100 IDBF World Nations Championships medals, including 23 gold medals. He has been coaching since 1986.

Hosted IDBF World Nations Championships (WDBRC) The United States hosted the 4th IDBF World Nations Championships in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2001, and the 10th IDBF World Nations Championships in Tampa Bay, Florida, in 2011.

United States at IDBF World Nations Championships (WDBRC) The United States has won many medals at the international level; medals standings from the IDBF World Nations Championships (also called the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, or WDBRC) are listed below.

13th WDBRC 2017 (Kunming, China) Source:

Team USA came in 3rd overall in standard boat racing, with Canada taking 1st and China taking 2nd.

The Junior/U24 division races were held in Divonne-les-Bains, France, in conjunction with the European Club Crew Championships. Team USA did not attend. Boat TypeAge DivisionNumber of GoldNumber of SilverNumber of BronzeStandardSenior C045StandardSenior B136StandardSenior A0110StandardPremier324Total41025

12th WDBRC 2015 (Welland, Canada) Source:

Team USA came in 3rd overall in standard boat racing, with Canada taking 1st and China taking 2nd. Boat TypeAge DivisionNumber of GoldNumber of SilverNumber of BronzeStandardJunior B010StandardJunior A002StandardU240110StandardSenior C015StandardSenior B038StandardSenior A063StandardPremier270Total22918

11th WDBRC 2013 (Szeged, Hungary) Source:

Team USA came in 6th overall, behind Canada, China, Australia, Germany, and Ukraine. Boat TypeAge DivisionNumber of GoldNumber of SilverNumber of BronzeStandardU24001StandardSenior C007StandardSenior B062StandardSenior A144StandardPremier123Total21217

10th WDBRC 2011 (Tampa, USA) Source:

Team USA came in 1st overall in small boat racing. Boat TypeAge DivisionNumber of GoldNumber of SilverNumber of BronzeSmallJunior B400SmallJunior A211SmallU23110Total721 Team USA came in 4th overall in standard boat racing, behind Canada, Germany, and Russia. Boat TypeAge DivisionNumber of GoldNumber of SilverNumber of BronzeStandardJunior A003StandardU23062StandardSenior B063StandardSenior A043StandardPremier351Total32112

9th WDBRC 2009 (Račice, Czech Republic) Source:

Team USA came in 5th overall, behind Canada, Slovakia, China, and Singapore. Boat TypeAge DivisionNumber of GoldNumber of SilverNumber of BronzeStandardJunior B210StandardSenior B032StandardSenior A014StandardPremier132Total388

Hosted IDBF Club Crew World Championships (CCWC) The United States hosted the 13th IDBF Club Crew World Championships in Sarasota, Florida, in 2022.

United States at IDBF Club Crew World Championships (CCWC) Many different crews have represented the United States at the IDBF CCWCs over the years. Listed below are some of those teams, along with the divisions in which they raced.

11th CCWC 2018 (Szeged, Hungary) Team NameHometownDivisionsDragon Boat CharlestonCharleston, SCACSCentral Coast SurviveOars Morro BayMorro Bay, CAACS, BCPHope Afloat USA PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PABCPOyster Point U16 South San FranciscoSan Francisco, USAJunior A, Junior BLincoln High School San FranciscoSan Francisco, USAJunior ASouthern Heat The VillagesThe Villages, FLSenior B, Senior CWAM (Seattle SAKE)Seattle, WASenior A, Senior CDragonheart Vermont Burlington, Vermont, USABurlington, VTBCP, PremierWindy City Dragons ChicagoChicago, ILSenior APhiladelphia Flying PhoenixPhiladelphia, PASenior ADragonMaxBerkeley, CASenior A, Senior B, Senior CWasabi Paddling Club PortlandPortland, ORPremier, Senior ATeam DPW Los AngelesLos Angeles, CAJunior A, PremierBoston 1 Dragon Boat TeamBoston, MAPremierSchuylkill Dragons PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PAPremier, Senior BAero Dragons Los AngelesLos Angeles, CASenior ABucks County Dragon Boat New HopeNew Hope, PASenior ALong Beach Masters Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, CASenior ANorthwind San FranciscoSan Francisco, CAPremierLos Angeles Racing Dragons Long BeachLos Angeles, CAPremier

10th CCWC 2016 (Adelaide, Australia) Team NameHometownDivisionsSpace DragonsLong Beach, CAPremierRipple Effect Dragon Boat TeamSan Francisco, CAPremierLong Beach MastersLong Beach, CASenior ABay Area DragonsFoster City, CASenior BMiami Dragon SlayersMiami, FLPremierTeam DPWIrwindale, CAPremierDragonMaxBerkeley, CASenior CWAMSenior BPaddles and Pearls CharlestonCharleston, SCBCSVancouver Lake Aquatic Center Catch-22Senior AGolden DragonsSenior C

9th CCWC 2014 (Ravenna, Italy) Team NameHometownDivisionsDragonheart Vermont Burlington, VTBurlington, VTBCS, Senior B, Senior CPink Paddler Power BCS RacineRacine, WIBCSWindy City Dragons Chicago, ILChicago, ILPremier, Senior AFlorida Tarpons Miami, FLMiami, FLPremier, Senior AWasabi Paddling Club Beaverton, ORPortland, ORPremier, Senior A, Senior CPhiladelphia Flying PhoenixPhiladelphia, PAPremier, Senior ACalifornia United Los AngelesPremierCatch22 NYC New YorkNew York, NYPremierSan Diego Dragon Boat Team La MesaSenior A, Senior BJax Fire Dragons Jacksonville, FLJacksonville, FLSenior ALong Beach MastersLong Beach, CASenior ADragonMax Berkeley, CaliforniaBerkeley, CASenior A, Senior B, Senior CSchuylkill Dragons PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PASenior BGrand Masters DBC USA The Villages. FLThe Villages, FLSenior B, Senior CPortland Fire Dragons Portland, OregonPortland, ORPremierDragon Boat Club of BostonBoston, MAPremier

United States Dragon Boat Federation

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