Williston Park residents Naomi Kaphan and Madeline Phelan share a common passion for the uncommon sport of dragon boat racing.
Kaphan is co-founder of a women’s dragon boat team, Women in Canoes, that was created in 2000. Phelan encountered her eight years ago when she and members of Kaphan’s team were volunteering at a 5K race in Mineola.
“Dragon boat is a way of life. It’s like a family. We become a group of good friends together,” Kaphan said.
Kaphan, who grew up in Malaysia, knew about ancient Chinese dragon boats, but saw her first modern race of the colorfully decorated seacraft in Flushing Meadow Park before entering competition in 1998.
She hooked up with six friends paddling for a team called the Wall Street Lion, then they connected with a women’s team, Metro Athletic Dragon.
Then Phelan decided to establish her own women’s team – the first women’s team that would represent the U.S. in international team competition.
Phelan’s interest in dragon boat racing was stirred after seeing a race in Flushing Meadow Park one year before she met Kaphan.
“I thought it was really cool and I wanted to be part of it. I love being on the water,” said Phelan, who spent weekends at Coney Island as a child.
Phelan, 55, a court secretary in Mineola, said she’s stayed active as a runner and has been a member of the New Hyde Park Runners Club for the past three years.
But the dragon boat routine was a step up in fitness training and she now works out on a rowing machine as well.
“We practice really, really hard. The races are over in a matter of minutes,” she said.
Women in Canoes typically competes in four racing tournaments annually, she said, with race distances varying at 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 meters.
The sport has its origins in ancient Chinese traditions.
The first dragon boat races were held 2,500 years ago on the Yangtze River in boats made of teak to honor the Chinese dragon water deity. Their contemporary form is a 30-foot fiberglass boat with 18 rowers, a drummer to set the pace for the rowers just as in ancient times, and a helmsman to steer.
“You have to execute and paddle at the same time to keep the team moving. It’s all teamwork,” Kaphan said.
In the beginning, she said, new members are interested in the recreational aspect of the sport. But Women in Canoes is a seriously competitive team.
Participating in events sponsored by the Eastern Regional Dragon Boat Association, Kaphan said the team has competed in four world championships, most recently in Hong Kong in 2013. She said the team won the world championship in the premiere women’s division – 18 years and older – in Philadelphia in 2001.
Today the team’s members span a broad age range, from 15 to 65 years old, with its 40 members coming from Long Island, New York City and Queens, Kaphan said.
For Phelan, the experience of competing with Women in Canoes has revealed an aspect of her personality she didn’t know she had.
“I’m very competitive and I never really knew that until I enjoyed the team. I enjoy being with team members and we have a lot of fun,” she said.
She said her husband, Tom, has been supportive of her efforts with the team since she joined.
As coach and competitor for 12 years, Kaphan said she remains devoted to the sport.
Along with her driving force as its coach, sponsors, donations and fundraisers sustain the team, which will hold its annual fundraising dinner at Royal Seafood in Chinatown on May 28
“You only can live once. I love to stay in shape,” she said.
That’s a philosophy she puts into practice in her full-time job as a physical trainer.
“I help sick people. I try to help them get in shape and improve their quality of life,” she said.
Somewhere north of 50 years old – she declines to reveal her exact age – Kaphan is now preparing for another competitive challenge.
Also a member of the New Hyde Park Runners Club, Kaphan recently finished third in her age class in a 10k race on Long Island. She’s training for cross-fit competition and a half-marathon as she carries on as coach of Women in Canoes.
Kaphan said she’s particularly pleased with dragon boat racing’s profile, which she said has expanded beyond its Asian origins to teams from Germany, Norway and England in addition to the U.S.
“Dragon boat is the third largest growing sport in the world now,” Kaphan said.
Any women interested in learning more about the team can find information at www.womenincanoe.com.
