Dragon boats hit the water this weekend

One of the biggest community events of the summer involves watching 42-foot dragon boats, powered by 22-member crews, skimming across Flathead Lake.

The Montana Dragon Boat Festival hits the water Saturday and Sunday for its fourth year, although at a new location. After three years at Flathead Lake Lodge near Bigfork, the event has moved across the lake to Lakeside.

Diane Medler, director of the Kalispell Convention and Visitor Bureau, said the new venue should open up opportunities for spectators, racers and local businesses.

“It’s going to make it easier for the spectators and the racers,” Day said. “There will be several identified parking lots within walking distance, so people don’t have to be shuttled and there will be easy access to the Lakeside community.”

The festival will be centered at Volunteer Park and along a portion of Lakeside Boulevard that will be closed to vehicles Saturday and Sunday.

Free parking spaces can be found on Bills Road, Adams Street and Blacktail Road, with each parking area within walking distance of the park. Shuttles also will be available to take spectators from the parking lots.

David Fetveit of the West Shore Visitors Bureau took part in the planning to move the event to Lakeside. It’s really about the space, he said.

“At Volunteer Park, we’re able to get that whole festival feeling,” Fetveit said. “And it’s nothing against Flathead Lake Lodge; there will be some things that we won’t be able to replicate. But I think this is going to be a different atmosphere.”

The 500-meter racecourse will parallel the shore at Volunteer Park. The finish line is located at the north end, an easy viewing spot for spectators.  

Just like dragon boat races in prior years, the event will be a perpetual train of races starting at 8:30 a.m. each day. Teams race in heats of three, while three boats stage behind them and another three line up for their own heat. Teams are split into women’s, mixed and open categories, and then split into six divisions. Saturday’s races ended at 4 p.m. with the optional exhibition race.

Each team will race twice on Saturday. The average of their two times could put them into qualifying rounds that start at 9 a.m. Sunday.

This year, 60 teams have signed up. That number is down from the 73 last year, but Medler said she’s pleased with the fleet of participants considering the first year at a new venue.

Medler said another dragon boat race in British Columbia this weekend has forced several Canadian teams to choose where to compete.

Regardless, Medler said this year’s roster includes more than 20 teams from Canada, including a few new squads. The list also includes teams from California, Oregon and Minnesota.

“That’s a good thing,” Medler said. “That’s what we’re trying to do is bring out-of-area teams.”

Montana teams will be coming from Bozeman, Missoula, Helena, Pablo, Florence plus 28 teams from the Flathead area; some returning are veterans, others are first-year boaters.

Canadian teams have proven to have the edge in prior years.

Last year, Rice is Right, an Alberta competitor, took first in the mixed division with a time of 2 minutes, 20.12 seconds. Sistership, from Alberta, took the women’s title with a time of 2:53.46. Two of the three finalists in the open category were from Alberta; the top team finished at 2:29.80.

Saturday will feature an all-day lineup of music, a dragon-boat demonstration and a children’s race. Food and beer vendors will be on site since the new venue provides a more fluid area for movement among spectators.

“It’s just a fun community event,” Medler said. “I think people are going to enjoy this venue.”

Medler said the Kalispell Visitor and Convention Bureau started preparing for the 2015 race when last year’s event concluded, but the intense planning started about six months ago.

“We have teams sign up right after the races are over. Others wait quite a bit,” Medler said. “The dragon boat club teams that travel-plan their races out almost a year in advance, we try to reach out to those teams early on.”

Saturday’s weather forecast calls for a high of 72 degrees and clear skies.

There are two special events as part of the weekend fun:

•  A welcome party for racers Friday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Lakeside Town Center, 306 Stoner Loop in Lakeside.
•  The Flathead Lake Dragon Bash Dinner and Dance on Saturday from 6 to 11:45 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel Kalispell.

For more information, call the Kalispell Convention and Visitor Bureau at 758-2808 or go to the website www.montanadragonboat.com.

Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.