What a fantastic weekend of racing, learning, and team bonding at the Oklahoma Dragon Boat Festival!
Houston Heat sent both an A Crew and a B Crew to compete, and we’re incredibly proud of every paddler who represented the team with determination, resilience, and heart.
Race Results
🚣 500m
• B Crew – 2:59
• A Crew – 3:03
🚣 200m
• Both crews – 1:10
🌞 Conditions: Hot temperatures with 15–22 mph winds made for a challenging day on the water.
While we didn’t bring home a medal this time, we’re celebrating something just as important—growth. Many of our paddlers were racing in a 10-person boat for the very first time, and they rose to the challenge against experienced teams from across the region.
Every race is another step forward, and this weekend showed just how much our team continues to improve. We’re excited to keep building on this momentum.
Beyond the racing, the best part of the weekend was spending time together. From breakfasts with fellow teams and late-night IHOP runs to rafting, tubing, rock climbing, board games, and plenty of laughs, these are the moments that make dragon boating more than just a sport—they build lifelong friendships.
One of our favorite traditions also made an appearance… the post-race ice bath! 😆 It took a few determined teammates (and one enthusiastic kid) to make sure everyone cooled off.
We wrapped up the weekend with some extra practice after the flag-catching event was canceled due to an on-water incident. That’s the Houston Heat spirit—we’re always looking for another opportunity to learn and get better.
A huge thank you to Wayna Lim, Albert “Big A” Wong, and Mike Nguyen for all of the planning and behind-the-scenes work that made the weekend possible. We appreciate everything you do!
Thank you to the Oklahoma Dragon Boat Festival organizers, volunteers, officials, and all of the teams for a great weekend of racing. We can’t wait to see everyone again at the next regatta!
Full race results: https://crewtimer.com/regatta/r16046
