Dragon Boat Race
Event information
2023 race date TBC
Based on a Chinese tradition dating back over 2,000 years, dragon boat racing is one of the fastest-growing and most popular corporate sports in the UK today.
Open to all ages and abilities, you don’t need any previous experience to join us: our expert partners, Dragon Boat Events, provide full training and all equipment – so all you need to bring is your team and a boatload of enthusiasm!
2022 event
Thank you to all the teams who took part in our first-ever Dragon Boat Race, raising over £26,000 to help communities around the world unlock their potential with access to clean water.
Congratulations to our 2022 champions, the Neon Bandits; the top fundraising team, Yondr Group; and – of course! – the best fancy dress winners, Clausematch.
Watch highlights from the day:
Register your interest for 2023
Register your interest in taking part next summer and we'll be in touch as soon as we've finalised the details for the 2023 Dragon Boat Race.
What to expect on the day
Location: South Dock, Canary Wharf
Date and times: TBC
After a full safety briefing and instructions from the experts at Dragon Boat Events, you'll take to the water in a series of races to determine which team will be crowned the 2023 champions of Canary Wharf.
We'll also be awarding first, second and third place prizes for the best fundraising team, as well as a special prize for the best dressed crew – team outfits are strongly encouraged!
The afternoon includes lunch, and from 6pm we'll move to a nearby venue for the post-event reception, including a celebratory drink for all participants.
Fundraising
Team fundraising target: £1,750
It's easy for us to take water for granted – whether we're drinking it, washing with it, or even racing dragon boats on it!
But right now, 771 million people around the world – that's 1 in 10 of us – don't have clean water close to home.
Whole communities are held back: children miss out on education, people struggle to earn a decent living, and families are often ill.
By fundraising with your team, you can help us work with more communities to ensure people have a reliable supply of clean water – and with it, the opportunity to thrive.
Your questions answered
Dragon boat racing is a fun-filled, adrenaline-pumping, water sport activity!
Teams of up to 16 people sit in pairs in the dragon boat – a large canoe-like vessel, decorated with carved dragon’s heads and tails – and paddle together in races over distances of around 250m.
Each team also has a drummer to keep the paddlers in unison, and a professional helmsperson to guide the boat.
Don’t worry – to ensure a fair race, the minimum people per team is 13. If your workplace is on the smaller side, why not try teaming up with your office neighbours or similar companies from Canary Wharf?
If you have any concerns about recruiting a full team, email Corinne at [email protected] org – we might be able to put you in touch with a similar group.
Dragon boating truly is the ultimate sport for all abilities, and no previous experience is required – if you can hold a paddle and sit in a boat, you can take part!
You'll receive full training and support, and all the equipment you need, on the day.
If you have additional accessibility needs or any questions about taking part, please get in touch with Corinne at [email protected].
Once your place is confirmed, we'll be in touch with details on how to set up your team's fundraising page on JustGiving. It's best to include all your donations – both online and offline – on this page, so your team total is always up to date.
Yes! We encourage all teams to check whether your company offers matched giving for your fundraising efforts.
Gift Aid is a government scheme that allows UK taxpayers to increase their donation by an extra 25%, without any extra cost to themselves.
Donors can add on Gift Aid by selecting the option as part of their donation process on JustGiving.
Contact us
If you still have any questions, or would like any advice on taking part or fundraising, please get in touch with [email protected].