Watch Bay State Connection Dragons, Boat 3 in the foreground, take the lead in the New Zealand IBCPC Race!!!
Breast cancer survivors from teams across Massachusetts coming together to help others realize there is a thriving life during and after diagnosis through dragon boating.
We travelled to New Zealand to participate in the International Breast Cancer Paddlers festival to meet, compete, and support breast cancer survivors from around the world.
We plan to travel to France in 2026 for the next IBCPC Festival
2026 IBCPC Participatory
Dragon Boat Festival
A dragon boat is a 40-foot long boat, usually powered by 20 paddlers facing the bow (front) sitting on 10 benches with 2 people per bench. There is a drummer sitting in the bow facing the paddlers beating a drum to maintain the cadence. A steer person stands in the stern yelling commands such as “Power 10, Hold Water, Draw Right, Weigh Enough”. A dragon boat team works together as a synchronized unified body with determination, strength, endurance and timing to get the 3000-pound fully loaded boat from a standstill to full speed and over the finish line.
Over 2000 years ago, Qu Yuan served as poet and minister in Chu state. When the emperor decided to become an ally with the more powerful Qin state, Qu Yuan was exiled to southern China. Out of despair he jumped into the Miluo River and drowned. As one legend says, “local fishermen raced their boats, beating their drums, pounding their paddles on the river’s water and throwing rice dumplings wrapped in lotus leaves into the river to distract the fish from eating Qu Yuan’s body 1.”
Dragons are the controller of water and one of the most powerful creatures. In China they commemorate Qu Yuan with dragon boat racing every year beating the drums, pounding their paddles, and racing to save Qu Yuan.
Countdown to IBCPC France 2026
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