Info on Finger Lakes Festival (July 2006)

Paddlefish: See below for info on the Finger Lakes Festival. If you haven't done so already, please let Rich know soon whether or not you will be joining us here!

Dear Fellow Paddler and Dragon Boat Enthusiast:

The Ithaca Asian American Association (IAAA) will be hosting the Finger Lakes International Dragon Boat Festival (FLIDBF) on July 15th, 2006. We invite you and your team to join us for an exciting and breathtaking day of competition.

The Festival will take place on Cayuga Lake in Ithaca, New York, USA all day Saturday, July 15th. Local and visiting dragon boat clubs will compete in 250 and 500 meter races.

Opportunity to earn ERDBA circuit points and cash prizes makes the Finger Lakes International Dragon Boat Festival the one not to be missed!


1. Venue – Cayuga Lake is the largest of the Finger Lakes and provides a beautiful setting for boating. The races will be held on a long and narrow inlet off of the lake, which will provide close viewing for spectators and protection from wind and wakes for paddlers. Additionally, the Ithaca area is a beautiful region full of wonderful activities for friends and family to enjoy. Winery tours, outdoor music festivals, local farmers market, Robert Trent Jones Golf Course, miles of hiking trails and college tours are a few examples of what’s available to be discovered.

2. Competition – Ithaca, NY is at the epicenter of the major dragon boat racing hubs in Eastern North America (4 hours from New York City, 5 hours from Boston, 4 hours from Philly, 4 hours from Toronto, 4 hours from Ottawa, 5 hours from Montreal) and we believe this provides the Ithaca Asian American Association with the ability to host a festival featuring the fastest Canadian crews racing side by side with the fastest American crews.

3. Experience –Our members have wide ranging knowledge and experience with dragon boating. We’ve hired professional services from Great White North and Jeff Campbell to provide us with support and assistance in making the FLIDBF a success.


Additional information can be found on our website at www.ithacadragonboat.org . We’re limiting the festival to 32 teams; so please respond as soon as possible if your team is interested in competing in the Finger Lakes International Dragon Boat Festival.

We hope to see you in Ithaca on the weekend of July 15, 2006!

Sincerely,


Siv Somchanhmavong
President, IAAA and Race Coordinator