International teams, fierce rivalries set stage for Jamaica’s second Dragon Boat Festival

Against the shimmering backdrop of Kingston Harbour, organizers officially launched the second Jamaica Dragon Boat Festival on Friday evening at the Grand Hotel Excelsior in Port Royal, signaling the return of an event they hope will become a permanent fixture on Jamaica’s sporting and cultural calendar.

The two-day festival is scheduled for this Saturday and Sunday at the waterfront venue where local and overseas crews will compete in a sport that blends athleticism, teamwork, and centuries-old Chinese tradition.

Leading the launch was Vincent Chang, former president of the Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA) and chairman of the festival committee. Reflecting on the success of last year’s inaugural staging, he emphasized the organization’s long-term vision for the event.

“I am here because we do at the Chinese Benevolent Association believe this is a festival that should be here in Jamaica forever because the Dragon Boat has a lot of things we believe can help build the Jamaican community. There's a lot of things in there, and of course, strengthen our ties, the Jamaica-China friendship, and this is what we're all about.”

Bigger field, stronger competition

After drawing an enthusiastic crowd in its debut year, the festival is expected to grow significantly in 2026. Organizers anticipate more teams, heightened competition, and increased public engagement as awareness of the sport continues to spread across the island.

Chang believes the additional experience gained over the past year will elevate the quality of competition.

“This year should be well, exactly the same and more. I think we'll have more teams, we'll have tighter races. Now that we've been doing this for a year, some of the teams have been abroad, a lot more experience, and I do believe we'll get more interest, and we're hoping to get more interest from the wider Jamaican community.”

He added that spectators can look forward to a visually striking spectacle.

“We should see some very, very spectacular racing. As you know, we have dragon boats that are decorated like the mythical dragon with a head and a tail, and teams of 10 paddling with strength, dexterity but most of all coordination. So we should see some very exciting races happening.”

International crews join the challenge

This year’s event will feature an expanded line-up, including visiting teams from The Bahamas and Trinidad & Tobago, raising the level of competition for the local participants who have spent months preparing.

Representing The Bahamas will be Baha Mar Buoys and Gulls and BCDS Buccaneers, while Trinidad & Tobago will be represented by the Vanguard Dragon Boat Club.

They will face a strong Jamaican contingent that includes the CBA’s two teams, the Chinese Embassy, Hydra Jamaica, McKay Security, iPrint A, iPrint B, JDF Coast Guard, Port Royal Blazers, Port Royal Blazers Women, The Generals 1, The Generals 2, LASCO, AFRESH, and the Confucius Institute.

Many local crews have remained in training since last year’s festival and are eager to test themselves against more experienced regional competitors.

Defending champions full of confidence

The Jamaica Defence Force and the CBA shared top honors in a dramatic finish at last year’s festival, and members of the winning CBA squad are convinced they can repeat the feat.

Joseph Miller, who competed on the championship-winning team, expressed confidence in his crew’s ability to stay on top.

“(You) can expect more of the same. I believe we have a strong cadre of persons representing us. We, some of them are by Chinese and it's in their blood. It's in their blood so it's natural to them. The others, which are of my kind, which are different nationalities but we are all sports people and we believe in sports. We believe that we can win because of our ability and the sports that we do.”

Miller also issued a bold challenge to rival teams while encouraging spectators to attend.

“Come and see us because we are sure to win. We know we are winners. We all believe in ourselves and we have the best form out there so look out for us. We'll be there at the front and everybody else will be behind.”

More than a race

For organizers, the festival’s significance extends beyond competition. Neil Yap Sam, one of the event’s architects and a coach who regularly oversees training sessions at the Grand Hotel Excelsior, sees dragon boat racing as both a sport and a pathway to healthier living.

He highlighted the physical benefits of the discipline, particularly its value as an upper-body workout.

“For your upper body it’s a good exercise, even for breast cancer. In Jamaica for breast cancer we know it as running 4K and things like that. In the other side of the world like starting from New Zealand its dragon boat. It’s a proven fact from research that it helps them to recover from breast cancer from the upper body exercise and stuff like that. Yes I would recommend it to anybody.”

Tradition meets competition

Festivities will begin Saturday morning with the traditional “dotting of the eye” ceremony, an important Chinese ritual performed before major dragon boat activities. Once completed, the preliminary heats will commence.

Racing will continue throughout the weekend, with Sunday’s schedule determined by results from the opening day. The festival will conclude with an awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon.

The event has received strong institutional support, including endorsements from the Chinese Embassy and the Jamaica Defence Force, both of which competed in last year’s tournament.

Corporate backing has also increased, with sponsors including Grand Hotel Excelsior, the Chinese Community of Jamaica, Lasco Distributors, Wisynco, NCB, ATL Automotive, National Bakery, Mayberry Investments, iPrint JA, East ROC, and Afresh Supermarket.

An ancient sport with global reach

Dragon boat racing traces its origins to Chinese villages more than 2,000 years ago and has evolved into one of the world’s most distinctive team sports. Crews must paddle in perfect synchronization to the rhythm of a drummer positioned at the bow, demanding precision, endurance, and unity from every participant.

Today, the sport is practised in more than 75 countries, and organizers believe Jamaica is well-positioned to become one of its newest success stories.

As the colorful dragon-headed boats prepare to slice through the waters of Kingston Harbour once again, Port Royal is poised for a weekend where culture, camaraderie, and competition converge in spectacular fashion.