Prince William did it at Eton, and the Queen Mother had a craft named after her – so taking part in dragon-boat racing, either as a participant or spectator, means you are in very distinguished company indeed.

It’s not just the frantic paddling of up to 20 people in a dragon-headed boat, trying to inch ahead of the other teams, that makes dragon-boat racing exciting: it’s in the spectacle, the drums, the shouting and the sense of occasion. The races have at least two boats competing against each other over any distance longer than 200 metres. The dragon is traditionally an Asian symbol of water, and children and adults alike will enjoy spotting the representations of the animal come hurtling through the water.

The drumming comes from a Chinese legend in which the poet Qu Yuan was banished from his kingdom. He leapt into a river in sorrow, and the people, who loved Qu Yuan very much, raced out in their boats to save him, beating drums and splashing oars to keep the fish away from his body – a feat that is commemorated in the modern races.

Dragon-boat clubs offer days for new paddlers to try out the sport, and the coordinated team effort required means it’s a popular way of encouraging esprit de corps, both for school and corporate teams.

The British Dragon Boat Racing Association is the governing body, and lists the competitions and events. See www.dragonboat.org.uk.

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