Blue Ravens Team Bulletin
Race Day Countdown — July 25, 2026
📣 ANNOUNCEMENTS (last updated 7/24 4:33 pm)
This is a live page. We will update with new info as it becomes available.
* Added July 24 *
Visitor parking is $7. If you arrive after 8am, you will have to pay for parking. Also you will most likely miss the first race of the day.
* Added July 22 *
Updates to Race Day section:
- Time of 1st race to 8:24 am
- Time of arrival changed to 7 am
- Added info on getting ready to race
- WhatsApp Chat link
* Added July 18 *
1. Race Day info section added below
2. Race day livestream link added. You can share with family and friends who are unable to attend in person: TONH x OPA Dragon Boat Festival
3. Our fundraiser is now at $1,060. Woohoo! Let's keep spreading the word about our team and mission. Thank you!
4. Our team t-shirts are done! Check them out here: Blue Ravens team shirts
✅ TO DO LIST
#1 (required)
Complete the linked waiver form before race day:
https://form.jotform.com/JLAagency/ohana-paddling-assoc---waiver
My Role section: Select "OHANA PADDLING DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL PARTICIPANT 07/25/2026"
#2 (required)
We've got some great photos already from our first practice session. We'd like to share them on our website and Instagram. Please sign the form - it's another quick one.
photo and video release form
🐉 RACE DAY
Date: Saturday, July 25, 2026
Location: North Hempstead Beach Park
175 W Shore Rd, Port Washington, NY 11050
Time: Arrive at 7 am updated
Contact person on race day:
Pastor Steve
We will text his phone number to all team members before race day. If you don't receive it, contact us at 914-222-3864.
Parking:
All athletes must park in the South Lot (address listed above - not the same as practice location). Parking is free for all athletes. Please use the code word "PADDLE" when you enter through the parking booth. This code word will only be valid between 6:00 am - 8:00 am. There are no parking passes this year.
If you arrive after 8 am, you will most likely miss the first race of the day :( You will need to park in the North lot (where we park for practice). There is a $7 parking fee. From there, you will walk down the boardwalk to the Athletes Village and locate our team tent. Browse the Festival Map before race day.
Schedule:
7:15 am: Captain's Meeting for Pastor Steve
7:54 am: Volunteers will bring us to the race area
8:24 am: First race updated
10:10 am: Second race
After 1 pm: Final race (time will be determined on race day)
3:10 pm: Team parade to award stage
3:25pm: Awards ceremony
Getting ready to race: There will be volunteers bringing us from our tent to the race area. We must be ready at our tent 30 minutes before race time. new
WhatsApp Chat Link: new
The festival host will be communicating marshalling information, race results, etc. You can join the chat here if you'd like (not required):
https://chat.whatsapp.com/
Festival map link:
Festival Map
Racing format:
Our team will be racing three 200 meter heats. The average time of the first two heats will determine which division our team will be in for the final. Based on that division, the top 3 teams will win a medal (gold, silver, bronze). So we will have to be at the race all day.
What to bring:
- Sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses
- Quick-drying clothing
- Water-friendly shoes
- Towel, a change of clothes
- Your choice of hydration and snacks (there will also be a lot of food available for purchase)
- Picnic blanket or beach/camp chair
- Anything else to make your time more comfortable
📚 RESOURCES
Race Schedule link:
Race Schedule
Festival map link:
Festival Map
Parking pass for practice - North Hempstead Beach Park:
Parking Pass — Dragon Boat Practice
Print out the parking pass and bring to practice.
Where to park for practice:
OPA Practice Location
OPA Practice Map — Bar Beach
Follow the attached map. You will need to enter the parking lot from this address: 141 W Shore Rd, Port Washington, NY 11050. Once you go through the parking booths, head to the right of the parking lot until you see a large flag pole and brick building. You can park in the spots there and you will see the ramp where the dragon boats are located.
Rules and Regulations:
2026 OPA Dragon Boat Festival Rules & Regulations
Starting on page 7, there is helpful racing information.
Racing Divisions:
PRACTICE GROUPS
Expand each section to see who will be there
Sunday, July 5 at 7:30 am
Barbara Davis
Michael Lam
Jeff Davis
Clairmont Williams
Matthew Yan
Samuel Ho
Jaime Chua
Larry Hung
Runze Pei
Mitchell Lo
Ray Wang
Samuel Ho
Thursday, July 9 at 5:30 pm
Cindy Huynh
Michael Lam
Jeff Davis
Clairmont Williams
Nathan Walden
Ziao Jiang
Matthew Yan
Samuel Ho
Runze Pei
Mitchell Lo
Ray Wang
Samuel Ho
Larry Hung
Thursday, July 16 at 5:30 pm
Cindy Huynh
Michael Lam
Stephen Na
Clairmont Williams
Ziao Jiang
Matthew Yan
Samuel Ho
Runze Pei
Mitchell Lo
Ray Wang
Samuel Ho
Larry Hung
Saturday, July 18 at 10:15 am
Mon Lee
Samuel Ho
Matthew Yan
Clairmont Williams
Runze Pei
Tanping Boo
Billy Wong
Larry Hung
REMINDERS
Fundraiser
We're still trying to reach our $5,000 goal. Keep sharing with your family and friends: Blue Ravens fundraiser
📸 PHOTOS & VIDEOS
Hi team! We at Blue Raven Ministry are so excited for you to join our dragon boat racing team! This wouldn't be possible without YOU!
It's the first time paddling for many of us so here's to trying new things! Bravo!
Our objective with this team is to foster a sense of community, be inclusive of individuals with disabilities, and to have a great time! There's no pressure to place. Let's just finish as a team :)
CHEERS for our members 👏
Paddlers:
Pastor Steve (it was his idea to start a team, naturally)
Cindy Huynh
Michael Lam
Nathan Walden
Clai Williams
Billy Wong
Josephine Boo
Samuel Ho
Barbara Davis
Jeffrey Davis
Ziao Jiang
Leo Lo
Jaime Chua
Kevin Lin
Matthew Yan
Daniel Chen
Runze Pei
Mitchell Lo
Almira Factora
Dennis Lee
Mon Lee
Ray Wang
Susan Pak
Media Volunteers:
Ivan Ma
Hea Wang
Additional information for you and your guests:
How long do I need to stay on race day?
What can my family/ guests do?
Will my family/guests be able to see the race?
Is there a prize?
Peep these beautiful medals: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXGHm6RgFd-/
There are also medals for the team with the best looking uniform! We have entered the competition for best jersey. Live voting takes place on July 25.
What's dragon boat racing?
Crews of up to 20 people sit in pairs and paddle to compete in races over distances of 200m or 500m. Each boat has a drummer beating time to keep the paddlers in unison, and a professional helms-person in the stern to guide the boat.
Dragon boat racing began more than 2,000 years ago on the banks of the life-sustaining rivers in the valleys of southern China as a fertility ritual thought to bring good luck to the coming crop season.
Over the years a second story was introduced to give the festival a dual meaning. Legend has it that Qu Yuan, a great warrior and poet, threw himself in the river Mi Lo, as a protest against the political corruption of the day. The people loved Qu Yuan very much and raced out in their fishing boats to the middle of the river in a vain attempt to save him. They beat on drums and splashed their oars in the water, trying to keep away the dragons that occupied the rivers.