500 Meter Mixed Crew Dragon Boat Races
Sunday, June 1, 2025
Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA
Race Information & Registration
Hosted by the Renegades Dragon Boat Team
Contact Us
Race Director: Michael O’Meara
info@oaklandrenegades.org
(510) 469-8687
Come on out and race!
The ODBF, a Mixed Crew event on Lake Merritt in Oakland, is an opportunity for the established and the newer dragon boat community to share a day of racing, food and fun, and to get to know each other a little better in the process.
The Oakland Renegades, the team that puts on local races every year (including the Halloween Howl), presents this opportunity to bring established dragonboat clubs, corporate, and novice teams together for racing and fun. If you’re a new or novice team, these races are a great chance to practice your sport, compete against similar crews and rub shoulders with some of the salty, long time paddlers. Also, if you’ve been contemplating transitioning into a full time club, participating in fun and affordable races is an excellent way to help make that happen. Our goal is to help grow the sport in the Bay Area.
Schedule
| 6:30 AM | Arrive and set up your space in the Paddler’s Village |
| 7:00 AM | The Cafe du Renegades will open and feed paddlers from all the teams a nutritious breakfast (included in your fee.) Turn in waivers and any late payments to the registration table |
| 7:45 | Captains’ Meeting |
| 8:00 | Blessing of the Boats |
| 8:30 | Marshaling Begins |
| 8:45-3:00 | Main body of racing – qualifying seeding heats and championship races |
| 11:50-12:30 | While eating your own lunch, enjoy a special cultural experience |
| 2:45 | Break down the Paddlers Village and pack up your stuff |
| 3:15 | Awards ceremony and bling to recognize the victorious |
Fees
The fee for the day of racing is $900 per adult crew. For minors (17 years & under), the fee is $800 per crew. Crews are comprised of 20 paddlers, a drummer, a steersperson, and 4 alternates. Refunds will be given in full if notification is given before the May 15 registration deadline. No refund will be given after that date. A hearty breakfast is included in the registration fee. Lunches are the responsibility of individual paddlers or their teams.
Waivers
Each participant must submit a City of Oakland and a Paddlesport waiver (two separate pieces of paper, included in the Registration Packet linked on this page). These waivers are also provided to captains upon registration of their team. You may submit your waivers on race day, at the registration table, between 7:00 and 7:30 AM. REMINDER: The waiver consists of two separate forms.
Parking
Parking is available at Lake Merritt, but carpooling is advised. Cost is $5 to park all day, use the Children’s Fairy Land entrance on Grand Avenue.
Registration
Team captains are required to fill out an ODBF Registration Form. The deadline for submitting your registration forms and payment for the Oakland Dragonboat Festival is Friday, May 15, 2025. All teams are required to pre-pay for this event.
Please fill out the registration form and mail it in with your payment. Make your checks out to the Renegades Dragon Boat Club and mail to:
Renegades
3510 Maple Avenue
Oakland, CA 94602