Raphael Aquino

“I knew dragon boat as a sport ever since I was a kid since I grew up in the Philippines, but I didn't know it was available in Baltimore until I saw a regatta in October 2014 when I was training for the NYC marathon around the Inner Harbor area. I was in awe when I saw the sport in person, so I told myself that I wanted to do it after I completed the marathon.  I signed up for land training in January 2015 and the rest was history.

My most memorable dragon boat story was on October 8, 2017, when I raced with my daughter Lauren for the first time. It was also her first dragon boat race as a paddler.  

I was the stroke for our mixed team and she was sitting behind me in seat two. I knew she was nervous, but she did great. All 3 heats, we gave it our all; in the end, we came in 6th in the A major division!

That same day, I cheered for her as she paddled stroke for her women's team to a 3rd place finish in the A-major division. It was a proud moment for me. She worked hard all year for this one regatta. Most of those practices, we practiced together. I still remember those practices like they were yesterday.

To have those moments with her, to be with her on her first race, on that same boat, on that same race, is something I will cherish forever.  Definitely my all-time favorite dragon boat story!”

[Raphael Aquino (Baltimore, MD, USA), paddler on Baltimore Dragon Boat Club and Philadelphia Dragon Boat Association, ex-paddler on IDBF US national team.]

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