Dragon Boat trial in Oman

All,

-          2 dragon boats are now parked in PDO club allowing 22 paddlers and one drummer to demonstrate Dragon boats for the first time in Oman.
 
-          Those Dragon Boats will only remain few days in Oman.
  
The Meeting point for training is behind the Shangri-La on the Shangri-La Marina bay (North East of the ODC bay) side and get a formal dragon boat training from the President of the IDBF himself.
  
    Considering we can work together efficiently to learn how to use the boats we can expect to have gentle/fair 200m races within a couple of hours. 
 
NB : It is essential that all people getting on understand in this occasion they need to know how to swim for safety reasons but they do not need to have any previous experience using a paddle to be able to participate.
(*) non-swimmers are welcome to encourage paddlers from the pontoons and enjoy the buffet.
+ A safety boat and life jackets will be available, however there is no plan to get you in the water for swimming nevertheless the eventuality needs to be considered.


Do you want to put some more time to understand and support the potential of Dragon boats in Oman ?
 then, this is for you :
Oman will be hosting the Asian Beach Games in 2010 (link http://www.ocasia.org/ba_games.asp)
- Presently those games have 10 disciplines of which one of them is Dragon Boating a sport which has not yet been introduced into Oman.
- I have been working for some time on trying to get Dragon Boats in Oman for a UWD event. This last Weekend I have just rented two of those boats but we have them only for one short week.
- Depending on how much effort and time everyone of us would like to put in all members of PDO recreation centre could become within few days from initial training a certified crew- or helm but also a certified coach trainer.
- The IDBF president called Mike Haslam has accepted to fly from the UK for one week on a sponsored flying ticket granted on UWD event budget.
- In the following days Mike Halsam will also give a course free of charge to anyone who would like to become an event organiser that the Ministry of Sports started looking for since Oman was elected to become host of the 2010 Asian Beach Games.
- This way all Omani citizens certified by the IDBF can become Dragon Boat Ambassadors at the Oman Ministry of Sport. I expect that by next Saturday all the training and demonstrations will have been safely and satisfactorily concluded allowing a group of them to meet an official representative of the Minister of Sport in Oman whilst Mike Haslam is still in Oman.
 
Recap of the Provisional Dragon Boat activity plan this week
 
-          Monday evening The IDBF President arrives in Muscat.
 
-          Tuesday AM – UWD Well Engineering and Logistic conference
 
-          Tuesday PM - UWD team at the Shangri-La Marina / overlapping at 1700 for the Football final fans nevertheless bus will help to get back to the nearest giant screen at the Shangri-La
 
**** Opening to all members of the PDO recreation club ****
-          Wednesday AM - Women at the Shangri-La Marina (Open to all members of the PDO recreation club)
 
-          Wednesday PM - All volunteers at the Shangri-La Marina –or- ideally Qrum Park Muscat festival with presentation to the press - still to be confirmed
 
-          Thursday AM/PM - All volunteers at Shangri-La Marina –or- ideally Muscat Beach for Asian Beach Games 2010 at which I hope to get Oman sport Ministry officials - still to be confirmed
 
-          Friday - Boat are supposed to go back to Dubai / Mike Haslam Offered to give the Organizer formal course and review IDBF certification for crew / coaches seen in action the days before.
 
-          Saturday - Mike Haslam president of the IDBF hope to meet with the Omani Dragon Boat Ambassadors a representative of the Minister of Sports in Oman – To be confirmed.
 
 
Acknowledgement:
-          Thanks to the commitment of IDBF (International Dragon Boat Federation) certified trainers Bryan Hartley and Mike Haslam (President of the IDBF)
-          Thanks for Jan Willem Brinkhoerst president PDO recreation centre and Todd Perkins (also) treasurer of PDO recreation centre.
-          Special thanks to UWD Director Eamon Gorman who sponsored this first Dragon Boat event.
Many thanks for your attention.


On behalf of Oman Dragon Boat Club
Francois Dorleans 
Gsm: +968 99826099
OmanDBC@gmail.com

Stay updated on 
http://omandbc.blogspot.com

(*) For non-swimmers I hope to offer them in other times access when next time Dragon Boats will come to Oman and with enhanced plan against risk of drowning.