MIAMI DADE COLLEGE TEAM TO COMPETE IN EXOTIC
DRAGON BOAT RACE
Miami, December 5, 2007 – Miami Dade College (MDC) students will be sporting yellow t-shirts to match the array of bright colors sweeping over the bay at the 2007 Dragon Boat Race.
Hosted by the Miami Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, the race will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8, at 3601 Rickenbacker Causeway.
Last year, the MDC team won first place in the 250 meter College-Mixed Regular Competition off Brickell Key in Miami. They defeated strong challengers, such as the Puff Angles, a professional dragon boat race team, and the Acceler-Azn team from the University of Miami.
Dragon Boat races are historically part of the Dragon Boat Festival, one of three major Chinese holidays. Traditionally, the boats measure 40 feet in length, four feet in width and carry 20 paddlers, one drummer, and one steersperson. On average, these boats weigh 500 pounds.
The festival began as an occasion for driving off evil spirits and pestilence, and for finding peace in one’s life. The boat race was added to the festival in honor of patriot-poet Qu Yuan, a minister who protested the turbulence in his country by jumping into the Mi Lo River and taking his life.
What: Miami Dade College Team Competes in 2007 Dragon Boat Race
When: Saturday, Dec. 8, at 8 a.m.
Where: Key Biscayne, 3601 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami
For additional information about the race, please contact: Jaime Anzalotta, director of Student Life at the North Campus, (305) 237-1252.
Media contacts: Juan Mendieta, MDC director of communications, 305-237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu; Beverly C. Rodrigues, MDC director of media relations, 305-237-3949, brodrigu@mdc.edu or Sue Arrowsmith, 305-237-3710, sue.arrowsmith@mdc.edu.