Dragons Don’t Hibernate!
The 2025 racing season is a wrap for Alameda’s own dragon boat racing team, the Alameda DragonFlyers (ADF). Rather than shut down and hibernate for the winter, ADF will continue to practice and hone their speed, power, and endurance skills.
Dragon boat racing is a highly competitive sport that requires paddlers to have excellent aerobic and anaerobic strength and endurance. Paddlers develop these physical abilities through a series of exercises on and off the boat. On the boat, paddlers participate in endurance training that consists of paddling for long distances on the Alameda-Oakland Estuary while varying their speed; timing practice (all paddlers are paddling in perfect time with each other which is critical to racing); race starts (everyone hits their first stroke in perfect sync to launch the boat) and speed, (getting the boat up to racing speed with the goal of beating their own personal best times in 250 and 500 meter races).
Off the boat, ADF participates in a variety of physical fitness activities including season-long exercise regimens consisting of pushups, planks, squats, and a variety of other exercises and activities such as walking groups and hikes.
Dragons also know how to have fun. They took first place in this year’s Alameda Mayor’s 4th of July Parade in the Non-profit category and first place in the "Other" category in the 2025 Lighted Yacht Parade. These victories marked proud moments for ADF, showcasing their dedication not only on the water but also within the local community. Team Members have wine tastings, baseball, concerts and theater outings, and a monthly Fun, Fitness and Friendship event.
As you can see, Dragons don’t hibernate. So, if you happen to be at the end of Broadway next to the Nob Hill grocery store, you’ll see them practicing on Monday and Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Paddles Up!
The 2025 racing season is a wrap for Alameda’s own dragon boat racing team, the Alameda DragonFlyers (ADF). Rather than shut down and hibernate for the winter, ADF will continue to practice and hone their speed, power, and endurance skills.
Dragon boat racing is a highly competitive sport that requires paddlers to have excellent aerobic and anaerobic strength and endurance. Paddlers develop these physical abilities through a series of exercises on and off the boat. On the boat, paddlers participate in endurance training that consists of paddling for long distances on the Alameda-Oakland Estuary while varying their speed; timing practice (all paddlers are paddling in perfect time with each other which is critical to racing); race starts (everyone hits their first stroke in perfect sync to launch the boat) and speed, (getting the boat up to racing speed with the goal of beating their own personal best times in 250 and 500 meter races).
Off the boat, ADF participates in a variety of physical fitness activities including season-long exercise regimens consisting of pushups, planks, squats, and a variety of other exercises and activities such as walking groups and hikes.
Dragons also know how to have fun. They took first place in this year’s Alameda Mayor’s 4th of July Parade in the Non-profit category and first place in the "Other" category in the 2025 Lighted Yacht Parade. These victories marked proud moments for ADF, showcasing their dedication not only on the water but also within the local community. Team Members have wine tastings, baseball, concerts and theater outings, and a monthly Fun, Fitness and Friendship event.
As you can see, Dragons don’t hibernate. So, if you happen to be at the end of Broadway next to the Nob Hill grocery store, you’ll see them practicing on Monday and Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Paddles Up!
Year in Review Video
Fun - Fitness - Friendship
Alameda DragonFlyers promotes fitness, endurance, and well-being through engaging practices and the spirited challenge of dragon boat racing within the parameters of tiered mixed, women’s, masters and open crews.
If you are a new paddler, please sign up below and we'll contact you when we are offering novice onboarding sessions.
- We create opportunities for camaraderie, enjoyment, personal development and teamwork, encouraging paddlers to set and achieve shared goals.
- We welcome participants of all experience levels, offering a supportive environment to develop paddling skills and advance competitively.
- We strike a balance between an inclusive, encouraging atmosphere and the structure needed for training sessions and race performance, blending the thrill of paddling with the drive for competition.
- We have an excellent central East Bay location and practice on the sometimes challenging – but mostly calm – waters of the Oakland/Alameda Estuary. We race locally and travel to 250 meter sprints, 500 meter regattas and even 1000 meter endurance races. The race season runs from March to November, and our practice schedule is all year long.
If you are a new paddler, please sign up below and we'll contact you when we are offering novice onboarding sessions.