The Cooper River Dragon Boat Club is an all-female recreational and competitive dragon boat racing team in South Jersey focused on promoting dragon boat racing for fitness, fun, fellowship and friendly competition.
Our signature event is the Cooper River Dragon Boat Regatta, scheduled this year for July 27, 2024.
Symmetry. Energy. Victory.
Founded in 2005, the Cooper River Dragon Boat Club - formerly the River Sirens - is committed to recruiting local women in the Greater Philadelphia Tri-County area who are interested in staying fit and being part of a team environment centered on fun and friendly competition.
The Cooper River Dragon Boat Regatta
Established in 2015, the Annual Cooper River Dragon Boat Regatta is a thrilling, family-fun, community and sport team event at Cooper River Park near Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
This year’s event will bring together hundreds of people on July 16, 2023.
What is dragon boat racing?
Dragon Boat racing originated in Southern China over 2,500 years ago and started gaining popularity in North America in the 1990s. Today, it is the fastest growing water sport in the world.
The challenge of dragon boat racing lies in the synchronization of the paddlers’ strokes. Dragon boats are the largest flat-water racing canoes in the world. Each boat holds 20 paddlers, 1 steer person, and one drummer (who sits on the front of the boat facing the crew and keeps the beat).
All 20 paddlers, regardless of experience or skill level, paddle together for the dragon boat to gain momentum and glide through the water paced by a drummer at the bow and guided by a steersperson at the stern. Their combined power and rhythm achieve maximum acceleration and speed over a 200-meter, 500-meter or 2,000-meter course.
Dragon boating is unique in that total novices can compete with very little training or instruction. A perfectly synchronized team is not only visually spectacular, but almost always defeats a stronger but less coordinated competitor.
It is for this reason that dragon boat racing has become increasingly popular as a corporate team building sport and as a fundraiser.
Team Building Events
Dragon boat team building events are an exciting way of getting everyone to work together. It’s a fresh and exciting experience that integrates and motivates staff and volunteers for companies, organizations, associations, schools and fundraisers.
About Cooper River Park
Cooper River Park is a historic greenway along Cooper River, a major tributary to the Delaware River traveling through several communities in southern New Jersey, just east of Philadelphia. The recently renovated park is home to the Camden County Boathouse, a spectacular facility with all the finest amenities.