All aboard for town’s first ever dragon boat race for charity

A charity dragon boat race is being held on the Fylde coast and teams are wanted to take part.

Organisers are looking for at least 12 teams of 17 people to pit their skill and strength against each other in a series of races on Fleetwood’s boating lake.

The Rotary Club of Fleetwood are coordinating the event as part of their centenary and antipate a fun-packed community occasion, raising money for a good cause.

Wyre Council and Fleetwood Town Council have helped with the planning.

What is a dragon boat race?

A dragon boat race is a traditional, team-based water sport where teams race in long, narrow boats decorated with dragon heads and tails. Each boat typically holds 10-20 paddlers, a drummer to keep the beat, and a helmsperson to steer. The races involve teams paddling in unison over a set distance, often 200-500 meters, with the goal of finishing first.

What they say

The club said: “Fleetwood Rotary have decided that, as a grand finale to our Centenary Year, we would stage Fleetwood’s first ever dragon boat event on the boating lake on June 21 next year (2026).

“This promises to be a spectacular event, bringing the community together whilst raising funds for a variety of local and national good causes.

“We were delighted, therefore, to be able to announce this publicly whilst taking part in the recent Tram Sunday Parade.

“We will be looking for at least 12 teams of 17 people to pit their skill and strength against each other in a series of races to find Fleetwood’s first Dragon Boat Champions.

“We will provide more details in due course, but please note the date (21st June 2026) in your diaries.”

The club added: “We are very grateful for the support so far of both Fleetwood Town Council and Wyre Council in the planning of this event.”