Spots in a world championship event will be on the line in August during a dragon boat racing regatta on Vancouver Lake.
The 2015 Pacific Dragon Boat Association Championships will take place Aug. 1-2.
Hosted by Vancouver’s Double Fifth Dragon Boating and staged by Vancouver Lake Crew, the racing will range from elite-level teams to recreational club teams. This will be a qualifying event for the 2016 International Dragon Boat Federation World Championships, and as many as 18 division winners could qualify for the world championships to be held in April of 2016 at Adelaide, Australia.
The regatta will include divisions for 40 and older, 50 and older, under-23, college teams and under-18. Each division includes four classifications: open, women, coed (at least eight women) and a division for survivors of breast cancer.
In racing, each dragon boat has 20 paddlers.
Vancouver USA Sports is sponsoring the regional races. It estimated that more than 2,000 athletes, coaches and supporters will attend the regatta.
