Although a relative newcomer to the sport, Ann McGonegle confirms she is hooked on racing dragon boats.
“It’s empowering,” McGonegle said.
McGonegle, 67, of Des Moines, is a member of the Life is Bliss team that participated in the three-day 35th annual Dubuque Dragon Boat Festival, held Friday through Sunday at Miller Riverview Park & Campground along the Mississippi River in Dubuque.
Paddlers prompted by drummers raced boats with decorative dragon heads along the Mississippi River near the shoreline at the park.
“It’s an unusual sport,” said McGonegle, who began racing last year.
McGonegle’s Ames, Iowa-based team was one of 29 participating in the festival.
“I’ve been doing this for six years,” said Lynn McKern, 76, of Randall, Iowa, one of McGonegle’s teammates and — like McGonegle — a breast-cancer survivor.
About half of the Life is Bliss team members are breast-cancer survivors.
“It’s fun,” McKern said. “It’s great exercise and it’s great being with people. It’s wonderful.”
Twenty-one participants race in each boat. Most team members paddle to the beat of a drum placed in the boat. A team member perches at the boat’s bow to snatch a flag out of the water signifying the finish of a race.
One reason why McGonegle considers the sport empowering is because she and other breast-cancer survivors can participate and thrive.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are, and if you have (physical) deficits because of the (breast) cancer and a surgery, you just decide which side of the boat works best for you,” McGonegle said.
McGonegle said the event is demanding.
“There’s quite a bit to it,” she said. “You need to synchronize (while paddling) and you need to watch your leaders. You have to listen to the drum.”
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McGonegle said a heat during Saturday’s races took a brief toll on her.
“I got out (of the boat) and I was kind of shaky,” she said.
McGonegle said the event was worth the effort.
“It’s amazing being on the Mississippi River,” she said.
Ricky Fishnick, of Dubuque, the camp director for the festival, has been involved in the event for 30 years.
“It’s like a family event,” he said. “All of the participants are out there cheering for each other.”
Fishnick said participants came to the festival from far afield.
“We have 18 people here from Germany,” he said. “We have people from Canada and some from Minnesota and the southern and western parts of Iowa. We have some people from Kansas.”
Participants ranged in ages from teenagers to people beyond retirement age.
Grant Herr, 17, was a member of the Dubuque-based Horned Dragons team.
“I’ve been doing it for five years,” Herr said. “I got into it through (Boy) Scouting.”
Spectators and other participants cheered on two racing boats as Herr prepared for his first race of the day Sunday.
“There’s a lot more to it than racing,” Herr said. “Coming down here, it builds a closer connection with people.”
