SINGAPORE — More than 1,000 participants will take part in the second edition of Dragon Battle this weekend at an Olympic-sized swimming pool at the Orchid Country Club (OCC). The event, which had 350 participants last year, was inspired by how European countries conduct dragon boat training and competitions indoors.

Organised by Dragon Boat Innovate (DBI), Dragon Battle aims to create a more accessible platform for individuals and their friends to try out the sport.

This was after DBI found some reasons why people avoid the sport: They think it is hard to find a venue to practise, that it is unsafe to paddle in open waters, and that the waters may not be clean.

“The surge in the number of participants is a clear indication of the huge interest in the sport and the event’s concept,” said DBI founder and business director, Jason Chen, 34.

“This year, the competition will be more brutal because of the large number of teams, so it will be in elimination format rather than the round-robin event that we had last year.

“The Singapore national dragon boaters will also be training a team from (American sports label) Under Armour, and may also join the battle alongside them.”

The first day of competition will see dragon boat clubs and teams in the region slugging it out in eight categories. These include heavyweight, feather eight, inter-tertiary unified, and seniors (aged 40 and above). There will also be a category for the students from the Singapore Management University, who helped to organise the event.

The second day will see a charity event initiated by REACH Family Services, a social service agency that helps and supports families through life challenges. Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State (Environment and Water Resources and Health) will grace the morning’s event.

This year’s Dragon Battle will also feature two teams from Malaysia. Chen added that he hopes to have more international teams taking part in future. ADELENE WONG