Archive: Around Town

The Ithaca Y, Ithaca Dragon Boat Club and Paddle-N-More announced a partnership Monday to get more people paddling.    The partnership is centering on the 8th annual Finger Lakes International Dragon Boat Festival this July, with the three joining forces to build more dragon boat, outrigger canoe and paddleboard teams.

"The mission of both our organizations is youth development and healthy living, so it seemed natural for us to participate and collaborate," said Ithaca Y CEO Frank Towner.  "We have approximately 4400 members at the YMCA.  It was natural for us to come together and reach more people, utilize the Y for meetings and efforts of the Dragon Boat Club.  Then we met with Paddle-N-More to introduce more paddling sports to the community."

The Ithaca Dragon Boat Club has two boats for practicing on Cayuga Lake.  Teams from the club have raced in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Princeton, and Montreal.  Co-founder of Finger Lakes International Dragonboat Festival and the Ithaca Dragon Boat Club Amy Kuo Somchanhmavong says members hope to compete in Rome at the World Cup Crew Championship in 2014.  She says the stand up paddleboard competition makes the Ithaca festival unique.


Right now the focus is on this summer's festival.  All three entities plan to participate at an open house on May 11th, 1pm to 4pm at the Cass Park dock where they will meet with people interested in paddling, and get to try out stand up paddleboarding.

"We want to reach more people and form more teams," Towner said.  "That is our biggest effort.  Last year we had 30.  We'd like to double that."

Paddle-N-Moreis based in Lansing's Myers Park, offering kayak, canoe, and stand-up paddleboard rentals and instruction. 


New York Senator Mike Nozzolio sent a letter to be read at the press conference.

"The Finger Lakes International Dragonboat Festival is a unique and wonderful event that brings people together across generations and backgrounds," Nozzolio said.  "Teams win by individual strength, they win by working together.  This festival exemplifies the values of cooperation and diversity."

"Anyone can do this, so it's a simple plan to get everybody as involved as they can," Towner said.

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