Marina Del Rey's First Dragon Boat Festival Draws A Crowd: Photos

MARINA DEL REY, CA — Hundreds of spectators came to cheer on teams at the inaugural Marina del Rey Dragon Boat Festival Saturday at Burton Chace Park.

Paddlers and teams came to L.A.’s Marina to compete from various areas including Long Beach, San Diego and as far as Arizona, Nevada and Texas. More than 40 teams picked up paddles, with participants ages 10 to 70 years old.

The opening ceremony kicked off with a lively traditional Chinese Lion Drum Dance. Paddlers also participated in a traditional flower ceremony to raise awareness of the ongoing fight against breast cancer, organizers said. Flowers were tossed into the water as a touching tribute to those who passed and could not participate in the races.

“The fast-growing sport of dragon boat racing is one that promotes cultural diversity and wellness,” Nathan Salazar, Dragon Boat Festival organizer and head coach of the Los Angeles County Dragon Boat Club, said in a statement.

“The outpouring of sportsmanship and excitement throughout the day made this a fun and successful event for everyone,” Salazar said.

Special guests from the community shared welcome remarks at the opening ceremony including Gary Jones, Director of Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors, Laura Muraida with the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell and Janet Zaldua, CEO of Marina del Rey Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“It was a special day in L.A.’s Marina, gathering together as a community to celebrate the beautiful traditions of dragon boat racing ,” Zaldua said.

“As the largest man-made small-craft harbor in North America, Marina del Rey was a perfect backdrop for the dragon boat paddling enthusiasts and we hope to welcome more dragon boat racing events here in the future,” Zaldua said.

These were some of the participating teams: Los Angeles County Dragon Boat Club; Adaptive Fusion, a group of blind and deaf paddlers; and Los Angeles Pink Dragons, the first breast cancer survivor dragon boat team in Los Angeles.

The Marina del Rey Dragon Boat Festival was sponsored by Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors, Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, Marina del Rey Convention and Visitors Bureau, Marina del Rey Lessees Association, Caruso, ProSUP Shop, Wahoo’s and Team DPW.