The 2024 Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival looks set to be 'the biggest yet' – with over 40 teams and 600 competitors taking part to raise funds for the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.
This year’s 18th Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival will take place on the River Cam at Fen Ditton on Saturday 7th September, with teams of 10-15 paddling 30ft boats up the river with a drummer at the front beating time and a helm at the tail.
Festival sponsor Illumina will be taking part on the day and with bankside entertainment, food vans and an on-site bar the event is guaranteed to be a fun-packed, family day out.
Lucy Morton, Executive Director at NewWave Events, said: “We’re on track for this year’s Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival – which is being held in the Chinese Year of the Dragon - to be the biggest one yet with record team entries! We have 41 team entries and over half the firms competing this year have taken part in previous years.”
“It is amazing to see this event growing year on year and incredibly rewarding to see how the fundraising efforts from all teams makes a difference to such a worthy cause. Each year, the event brings a fantastic atmosphere to the city and the energy on the day is amazing.”
“The races are really exhilarating and extremely rewarding to be a part of. For the teams that are competing it is a chance for them to be part of the incredible atmosphere. For spectators, it is a fantastic family day out.”
Friendly rivalry is a big part of what the event is about, but Lucy said it is the unpredictable element that makes the day fun for both competitors and spectators.
“Some of the strongest crews can be knocked out in the heats if they aren’t working together to paddle down the course so it's very common for novice crews to take home the winner’s trophy on the day as long as they have the determination and team spirit to carry them through!”
All funds raised from this year’s festival will be used in support of the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH). The hospital, which will be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus by 2029, will bring together clinical and research expertise in a new, world-class hospital, designed in partnership with staff and patients. It will detect cancer earlier, treat it more precisely, and save more lives.
ACT’s Head of Community Fundraising, Donna Lee-Willis, said: “We are so excited to be running this event again this year with our longstanding partners NewWave Events and this year’s sponsors, Illumina. Everyone who is there on the day – whether it be competitors or spectators – has a lot of fun and for us to be able to raise money for what is such a good cause makes everyone at ACT incredibly proud.”
Elaine Chapman, Lead Advisory Nurse for CCRH, said: “We are delighted this year’s Dragon Boat Festival is dedicating funds to the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital project. This hospital will bring together the very best clinical care and research expertise in a specialist building that has considered the wellbeing of patients and staff. Thank you for supporting us, you are helping to change the story of cancer.”
Mark Robinson, VP and GM, UK and Ireland, Illumina says, “Illumina is proud to support this year's Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival to aid Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT). This unique event is just one of the ways that our team here in Cambridge is giving back to communities in which we live and work, while at the same time having a lot of fun!”
Races start at 10am with a prize ceremony at the end of the day. Each team completes three heats, with the 12 fastest teams going through to the semis. Three semi-final winners and the fastest runner-up go through to the final.
Each boat seats up to 10 paddlers and 1 drummer. The racecourse is a 200m straight course with each race lasting anywhere between 55 and 90 seconds, with times affected by water flow and weather conditions.
Trophies are awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place as well as to the highest placed mixed crew (minimum of five female paddlers), best dressed crew and top charity fundraiser. Medals also go to the top three crews and the highest placed mixed crew. The winner receives a bottle of bubbly, with the top charity fundraiser winning a punting experience courtesy of Let’s Go Punting.
Bankside entertainment and refreshments include traditional lion dance performances. There are also funfair style rides on the day, with sponsors Illumina hosting several fun activities including strawberry DNA extraction, dress like a scientist with a walk through Cambridge DNA history, a cake stand, face painting and flag making. Cambridge 105 is supporting the event, with live coverage and interviews on the day.
