Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival set to make a bigger splash than ever
It sounds a bit like the famous tortoise and the hare fable – but according to organisers NewWave Events, the winning team isn’t always the strongest.
All of which may come as a bit of a surprise to anyone who’s been down to the River Cam in Fen Ditton to watch the army of teams as they race their 30ft boats up the river for the Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival, but the trick to winning is not necessarily down to skill and strength – but teamwork.
This year’s Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival on 13 September, hosted by Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) and organised by NewWave Events, returns for its 19th year. Money raised will go towards the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH), set to be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus by 2029.
The hospital will be the first specialist cancer hospital for the East of England. It will bring together clinical and research expertise under one roof – allowing clinicians to detect cancer earlier, treat it more precisely and save more lives. Pioneering research to come out of the hospital is expected to have a far-reaching impact not just regionally, but nationally and globally too.
Festival sponsors Illumina return for the second year running and as well as providing spectator activities in the riverside marquee, they have also entered three teams for the event, supported by Cambridge Radio, who will be reporting live on the day.
Natasha Robertson, corporate partnerships manager at ACT, said: “The 2024 event was such a fantastic day with an amazing atmosphere. The event raised a staggering £37,000, with 41 teams competing and having fun on the Cam.
“This year ACT celebrates its 30th birthday, and we want to make sure we celebrate big and make the Dragon Boat Festival the biggest and best yet. By taking part in the Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival, teams will help ACT to change the story of cancer – which is something to celebrate together!”
Lucy Morton, executive director at NewWave Events, added: “The Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival is such a unique opportunity for both seasoned and new teams to experience the thrill of racing, with full equipment and guidance provided, making it accessible for everyone.”
But she said there was a definite unpredictable element on the day: “Some of the strongest crews can be knocked out in the heats if they aren't working together to paddle down the course, so it’s very common for novice crews to take home the winner’s trophy on the day as long as they have the determination and team spirit to carry them through.”
Competing teams, each with between 10 and 15 team members, paddle the boats up the river with a drummer at the front beating time and a helm at the tail. Races start around 10am, with a prize ceremony at the end of the day. As well as the races there will be bankside entertainment on the day with food vans and an on-site bar, guaranteeing a fun-filled family day out.
ACT’s PR and communications lead Danni Smith knows what it’s like to be part of a team.
She said:“I took part last year – but purely by accident! I was covering the event when Donna, our head of community fundraising, came to tell us that one of the teams were down a drummer. Twenty minutes later I found myself dressed in a chicken suit and sat at the front of a boat, beating the drum.
“They weren’t my team, but I really wanted them to win – they were so nice! They’d travelled down from Chester to take part to celebrate their friend’s 50th and were dressed as animals from the ark – in twos. They didn’t win the race, but they won first prize in the fancy dress category.
“The highlight of the day for me was watching one of them trying to get into a portable loo dressed as a giant rat!”
To find out how to register your team, visit act4addenbrookes.org.uk/dragonboat or call NewWave Events on 01536 674748. Alternatively, email ACT’s corporate team at corporatepartnerships@act4addenbrookes.org.uk.
