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Tempe Town Lake gets Chinese flavor |
| By
Nicole Saidi, For the Tribune |
|
Drumbeats sounded across Tempe Town Lake, setting
the rhythmic pattern for two rows of long, wooden
paddles in each boat to strike the water. |
Rowers who stayed in sync on both sides of the
elongated dragon boats, colorfully decorated with
scales on the sides and a sculpted dragon’s head on
the front, smoothly eased to the finish during the
2005 Dragon Boat Festival on Saturday.
Teams that couldn’t coordinate the efforts of the 10
rowers on each side swerved off their paths and lost
their chance at winning the race.
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard found his
office’s legally themed team, Squid Pro Quo, veering
off course.
"For some reason, we got steered off to the side,"
he said. "Everyone felt good about it anyway."
Goddard said the group chose the Squid Pro Quo
moniker over Litigatoars, the team’s name in last
year’s competition. Goddard said dragon-boating was
a way to have fun and "get everyone out of the
office," but it also had some serious benefits.
"To some extent, it really does increase exposure to
some of the sports that are unique to China," he
said.
The boating teams traversed a 500-meter course
stretching roughly from the Mill Avenue bridge to
Rural Road. Three teams raced together in three
boats Saturday, and each team got to participate in
two races. With scores averaged together, teams were
narrowed down for the finalists’ competition today.
A few shorter, 250-meter sprints are scheduled
today.
The festival, sponsored by Salt River Project,
includes food booths with Pacific-themed cuisine and
a stage area with martial arts and dancing.
The festival is in its second year and started after
Phoenix Sister City Commission officials tried
dragon boating in Phoenix’s sister city, Taipei,
Taiwan, said Debbie Nastro, president of the Arizona
Dragon Boat Association.
Taipei officials donated two dragon boats from
Taiwan to Phoenix so teams could practice, Nastro
said. The sport symbolizes cultural harmony, she
said.
"The basic idea is the whole spirit of team
camaraderie in the sport of dragon boating," Nastro
said.
Some teams, like the Aero Dragons of Long Beach,
Calif., had to travel to get to the competition. Liu
Techih, 36, coach of the Taipei City team from
Physical Education College in Taipei, said his team
has spent about three weeks preparing for the event.
"We are happy to come here, and we hope to have
friendships and relationships with American people,"
Techih said. "We think it’s a great opportunity to
do this."
Dragon boat fest
What: 2005 Arizona Dragon Boat Festival
When: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today
Where: Tempe Town Lake, Mill Avenue and Rio Salado
Parkway
Cost: Free |
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