The 23rd Annual Woodlands Family YMCA Dragon Boat Team Challenge presented by Repsol – Registration is still available for all teams

THE WOODLANDS, TX – For the 23rd year, Dragon Boat races return to The Woodlands, as teams Row for a Cause. The YMCA is proud to announce that Repsol is returning as the presenting sponsor, a partnership that began in 2015. Together, they strive to create a stronger community and restore hope and well-being to all. We Row So Dreams Can Grow. Now more than ever, people are ready to reconnect and have fun.

“Repsol is proud to partner with The Woodlands Family YMCA to support their Safety Around the Water Program and their goal to eliminate drowning and save lives by providing swim lessons to children and water education for parents,” said Ferdinando Rigardo, Repsol’s Executive Director for the Americas Region. “Dragon Boat brings out the best in Team Repsol. We look forward to the friendly competition and team building in support of the YMCA and their commitment to water safety.”

Registration is still available for the Dragon Boat Team Challenge. The four-day event, scheduled for September 29 to October 2, will be held at Northshore Park in The Woodlands. Teams participate in a single four-hour bracket, 8:00 a.m. to 12 noon or 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Teams are encouraged to register early to ensure you get your preferred bracket. Limited space is available, and many brackets are filling up fast.

“Are you looking for a unique, fun, and no-hassle team-building outing? YMCA Dragon Boat is for you,” said Community Liaison and event coordinator Roxanne Davis. “The YMCA does all the planning and facilitating. All you do is register, recruit your team, and show up full of spirit and ready to play. The event promises teamwork and camaraderie at their best and allows participants to visit and play with old friends and make new ones. Teams work hard and encourage teammates to reach a goal, all while having a blast. No prior rowing experience is needed. Who will take home the coveted ‘Dragon?’”

All teams are invited to participate – corporate, community, social, friends/family, running group, sports group, and more. A team is comprised of 20 or more members. Each team roster must have a minimum of five females, and participants must be at least 18 years of age. High school teams in grades 9-12 are eligible to participate in the Sunday morning bracket.

The event features six different team activities, but the Dragon Boat races are the main event. The boats, owned by The American Dragon Boat Association, are transported from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dragon boats are 40 feet long, extremely colorful, and weigh more than 1,800 lbs each. This exciting team-building event is designed to build community spirit among corporations, civic groups, and community organizations. The activities are designed to bring individuals together to achieve a single goal – to have fun and build relationships. They achieve this by becoming a team and working together as a synchronized unit. It’s much more than ‘beating the other team.’ It is the camaraderie and team spirit, connecting with old friends, meeting new friends, and laughing. Along with improving health, whenever teamwork is involved there’s the added benefit of being linked to others. It is adults having the opportunity to play like kids.

Celebrating 23 years of rowing for a cause, the YMCA Dragon Boat Team Challenge benefits the Y’s Annual Campaign, which ensures the YMCA can offer unique opportunities for families to come together in a safe place, create a welcoming environment for all, and ensure that everyone has access to the YMCA and its programs, regardless of age, income, background, or circumstance.

“Every dollar raised is an investment in our community and our future,” said Davis. “Thank you to our generous sponsors whose support has kept the event growing and evolving and helping the YMCA multiply its impact in the community: Repsol, Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center, Ring Energy, Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, Alight Solutions, LGI Homes, Woodforest National Bank, Excelerate Energy, NewPark Resources, The Woodlands Financial Group, McKesson Pharmaceutical Solutions & Services, and Chesmar Homes.”

Spectators are encouraged to stop by and cheer on their favorite team; admission is free for spectators. For more information, visit https://www.ymcahouston.org/join/dragon-boat or contact Roxanne Davis at 281-681-6730 or rdavis@ymcahouston.org.

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