MERRY CHRISTMAS 2025 | DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco

 

DieselFish wishes you cheer, warmth, and connection this Christmas.
 
→ DM or email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com to learn how you can join next season’s dragon boat adventures.
 
- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲
 
Copyright 2025 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

THE DRAGON BOAT RACE CHECKLIST | DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco Bay Area

·       How many of these dragon boat races have you competed in? Most paddlers top out at five.

• Boston Dragon Boat Festival
• CDBA College Cup Championship
• CDBA Regional Regatta
• CDBA Sprint Race 
• CDBA Youth Race 
• Concord Pacific Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival 
• Folsom Dragon Boat Festival 
• Halloween Howl 
• LA County Dragon Boat Festival 
• Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival 
• Nevada Dragon Boat Festival 
• Northern California International Dragon Boat Festival (Oakland) 
• Northern California International Dragon Boat Festival (Foster City) 
• Portland Rose Festival 
• Puerto Rico Dragon Boat Festival 
• Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race 
• San Diego International Dragon Boat Race 
• San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival (Treasure Island) 

This isn’t just a checklist list. It’s our résumé. DieselFish has competed in all these races...and we’re just getting started. We have more competitions lined up for 2026 and beyond.

➡ So if you’re itching to compete again and recognize more than a few of these races, email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com to learn how you can join our next adventure.

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

Copyright 2025 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

TRYING SOMETHING NEW | DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco Bay Area

>>> Our teammate Anna discovered a new kind of dragon boat challenge. Read on to learn more. [ONLY 5-second read] <<<

Our teammate Anna has taken on a new challenge: steering. Lately, she’s been getting serious about it. After practice, I talked with her about this experience.

DF: Why did you decide to try steering?
A: I want to make sure the team always has a steer on duty.

DF: So, out of a sense of responsibility?
A: Yeah.

DF: What do you like about steering?
A: It’s FUN.

DF: Do you have any advice for people that want to try steering?
A: It’s a little scary trying to balance when you first start. But 

you’ll get the hang of it. Then it gets fun.

→ DieselFish encourages you to break your routine and try something new—like Anna did. Don’t miss out on the challenge, excitement, and fun of dragon boat racing with DieselFish. Email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com to get started.

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

Copyright 2025 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

PADDLES DOWN, PARTY UP | DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco

>>> After practice, we threw a holiday party that got us excited for our adventures ahead. Read on to learn more. [ONLY 30-second read] <<<

Holiday cheer

Games and grins

Gift exchange game gone wild

We don’t just dragon boat race—we party!

At our most recent Thanksgiving bash, we enjoyed mouthwatering food, exciting games, and non-stop laughs. We also eagerly chatted about the fun, thrills, and adventures we’re going to experience together next season.

We always have fun—off AND on the water.

→ Email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com to learn how you can join next season’s dragon boat adventures (and parties).

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

📷: Alex, Julie, Tommy

Copyright 2025 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR FIRST DRAGON BOAT RACE | DieselFish Dragon Boat Team | San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco Bay Area

>>> Curious about dragon boat racing? Here’s some useful information. Read on to start YOUR dragon boat journey. [ONLY 30-second read] <<<

Dragon boat races are fun, exciting, and challenging. They can also be intimidating and confusing for newcomers. Don’t worry. We got you covered. Here are the top questions we get from newbies before their first race.

Q: Why do I have to arrive so early?
A: YAAAWN. Dragon boat races start in the early hours of the morning. There’s a good reason for this tortu—I mean practice. Your team needs to set up its campsite and take care of administrative tasks before its first race heat.

Q: Do I need to bring my own paddle and PFD to the race?
A: No, the race organizers will provide paddles and PFDs. Find a paddle that’s in good shape. Years ago, a DieselFish member accidentally grabbed a broken loaner paddle. It had a loose grip that swiveled and hurt his race performance.

Q: How do I know when to race?
A: The race director will provide your coach and captain with a race grid. The grid indicates which race heats you’ll compete in and an approximate time for the heat. They’ll tell you when to move to the marshalling area.

Q: What’s the marshalling area?
A: The marshalling area is a staging site near the start line. It contains loaner PFDs and paddles as well as queues to load onto the boats.

Q: What if I get tired during the race?
A: DON’T STOP PADDLING. KEEP GOING. DON’T STOP PADDLING.

Q: What do I do when I’m not racing?
A: There’s a surprising amount of downtime. You’ll spend most of your time at your campsite. Some people pace around and make plans for the next race heat. Others sit around and chat, read, and snack. Whatever you do, have fun.

Q: What should I eat?
A: Eat something light that won’t slow you down. Aim for foods high in protein that’ll fuel performance and sustain energy. On race day, we snack on sandwich meats, jerky, hard-boiled eggs, and hummus. Stay away from greasy and heavy food truck fare. Also, make sure you drink lots of water to rehydrate.

We hope these answers bring you clarity, confidence, and calm. Now go crush it—race day is yours!

→ DieselFish is the most welcoming dragon boat racing team in the San Francisco Bay Area. Got questions? Email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com for answers and advice.

- Alex, the Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

Copyright 2025 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL DRAGON BOAT | DieselFish Dragon Boat Racing Team | San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco Bay Area

 

Last Saturday, someone started blasting HEAVY METAL in the distance. The music felt like a soundtrack. It provided us with POWER and ENERGY as we surged through the water.

→ What kind of music do you listen to while exercising?

→ DM or email me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com to learn how you can try dragon boat racing for free in Redwood City.

- Alex, YOUR Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲 🎸

Copyright 2025 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.

WELCOME TO SECOND SUMMER | DieselFish Dragon Boat Racing Team | San Jose, Peninsula, San Francisco Bay Area

The weather is still PERFECT for dragon boat racing. Read on to learn more. [ONLY 5-second read]

Labor Day has come and gone, but here in the Bay Area, summer isn’t really over. We’re in Second Summer, a stretch of sunny days that keeps the season alive just a little longer.

The air is warm, the days are long, and the winds are calm. It’s the ideal time to be outside and on the water.

That means there’s still time to enjoy outdoor activities like dragon boat racing with DieselFish. But not for long.

Because Second Summer won’t last forever. Cooler weather is just around the corner.

→ Don’t let Second Summer slip away. Jump in the boat with us while the weather’s still perfect! Contact me now at DFcaptains@gmail.com to learn how you can try dragon boat racing for free in Redwood City.

 - Alex, YOUR Minister of Newbie Happiness 🐲

Copyright 2025 DieselFish Dragon Boat Team. All rights reserved.