Paddlefish in Penang 2008

Hello Paddlefish family, friends, and supporters! Thank you for visiting our informational page for our upcoming trip to Penang, Malaysia.

The Pittsburgh Paddlefish is a diverse dragon boat team of men and women, ranging in age from 19-69, all united in their love of Pittsburgh rivers and dragon boating. The team started with a few devoted pioneers 6 years ago, and we’ve been growing steadily ever since.

Our team trains together year round using facilities at Three Rivers Rowing Association, our sponsoring non-profit organization. On-the-water dragon boat practices occur three times a week, from April to November. We train along the Allegheny River in Millvale, a 10 minute paddle from downtown Pittsburgh. In the winter, you can find us working up a sweat with rowing ergs, paddle-adapted ergs, and strength training. We motivate each other to improve our own physical fitness and endurance goals, and to perform at our best in races.

The Pittsburgh Paddlefish compete at dragon boat races locally, nationally and internationally. In addition to Penang, Malaysia, our 2008 race line up includes Washington, DC; Pickering, Ontario; Ithaca, NY; and a home race in Pittsburgh. In past seasons, team members have earned spots in international races such as the 2005 World Dragon Boat Championships in Berlin, Germany, and the 2007 World Dragon Boat Championships in Sydney, Australia.

Over the years we’ve grown into an internationally competitive team, and we all agree that it feels GOOD! Paddlefish women worked hard in 2007 and competed well against other women’s teams. So well, in fact, that we were named the Eastern Regional Champions for the premier women’s division last year! We are very proud to receive an invitation to represent the U.S. in the dragon boat Club Crew World Championships in Penang, Malaysia. This race will take place on Penang Island, off the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, from August 1-3, 2008.

For a printable version of this page with the groovy nighttime picture, click here.