The Davidson College dragonboat team (pictured above loading for a race in a photo by Sheena Bossie) paddled into the finals Saturday on Lake Norman and then claimed 4th place among 30 teams.  Captain Mark Grotjohn attributed “motivation” to the somewhat unlikely success of a team consisting of librarians, professors and students. 

“I think it’s just that we all wanted to have a lot of fun,” explained Mr. Grotjohn (in the photo at right) an assistant archivist at the college library.

The Wachovia team, which held multiple team practices after losing to Davidson last year, wrested the championship title for 2007, though all five boats in the final race over a 200-meter course were within a second of each other. 

The Davidson team, called “Ye mao,” which is Chinese for “wild cat,” changed its strategy after a disappointing first heat, switching from six short  strokes to what Mr. Grotjohn described as “two power strokes” at the start.  This helped earn the team a place in the finals.

The dragonboat races were part of the annual Asian Festival at Ramsey Creek Park in Cornelius.

Dragonboat racing is traced to the Warring States era in China, when a loyal minister waded into the Miluo river and committed ritual suicide to protest actions by his emperor.  Boats have raced ever since to try and find the minister’s body.  Dragonboats seat 10 pairs of rowers facing the bow, with a drummer in the back to keep time and also ward off fish from the drowned minister’s body.  Dragonboat racing is currently seeking recognition as an Olympic sport.