Local teams issue a challenge for the upcoming Dragon Boat Race

Montana’s first dragon boat race is set for September 8 on Flathead Lake, and the race is on for team sign-ups as well. Three Flathead Valley mainstays, Glacier Bank, Flathead Valley Community College and Flathead Community Foundation, have their teams ready to go and are challenging their colleagues at fellow institutions throughout the Northwest to sign up to race against them in the Montana Dragon Boat Festival.

“For us inlanders the festival is a unique opportunity to participate in a sport not normally accessible to Montanans, and it has great potential to have significant economic impact on the community and businesses in the Flathead Valley,” said James Ness, senior vice president at Glacier Bank, which is also a sponsor of the Montana Dragon Boat Festival. “To participate in the fun, we are putting together our own team for the dragon boat races and are reaching out to other institutions in the community and region to encourage them to organize teams as well.”

Ness added that if enough banks, credit unions or other financial institutions sign up for the race, the event organizers will run a special race just for the group. “It’s all friendly competition for a cause that will positively impact the Flathead Valley, hopefully, for many years to come.”

FVCC is issuing a similar challenge to colleges and universities throughout the Northwest with its dragon boat festival sponsorship. Student organizations, athletic clubs and teams, and alumni groups are all encouraged to form a team and sign up for the race.

“There is nothing like a little college rivalry to get people motivated,” said Chris Parson, director of the Small Business Development Center at FVCC. “On behalf of Flathead Valley Community College, I’m asking college students and alumni from alma maters across the Northwest to demonstrate their school spirit and organize teams for the Montana Dragon Boat Festival.”

Title sponsor of the Montana Dragon Boat Festival, the Flathead Community Foundation, is also encouraging local and regional participation in the event among the network of Flathead Valley nonprofits. FCF’s mission is to connect donors with their philanthropic interests for the present and permanent benefit of the community. In addition to a portion of every boat registration going to the breast cancer awareness initiative, Save A Sister, FCF is also asking teams to rally behind the nonprofit of their choice and raise additional funds in pledges to support their cause.

“The more people who get on board with the Montana Dragon Boat Festival, the more good we will create for our entire community,” said Lucy Smith, executive director of FCF. “While we’ll all be enjoying the competition, our teams will also be illustrating the power of pulling together to reach a distant shore and helping individuals and organizations with the greatest needs along the way.”

For the September 8 event, all teams will race in the Hong Kong-style, 46-foot dragon boats. Each boat holds a team of 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steerer. All ages, abilities and physiques are welcome, which makes the competition hinge upon teamwork and paddling style rather than brute strength.

To help organize the event the Kalispell Convention and Visitor Bureau has partnered with Dynamic Dragon Boat Racing LLC, which produces dragon boat festivals throughout the country. The company supplies the boats and gear, leads the safety and training sessions, and manages the races. Participants will have an opportunity to practice in the boats the two days prior to the event. Teams can register for the Montana Dragon Boat Festival at www.montanadragonboat.com.