Kelowna Dragon Boat Club 22 Hearts Beating As One since 2000

About Us

The Kelowna Dragon Boat Paddling Society (KDBC), formally known as the Kelowna Dragon Boat Club, was formed in 1999 when Ivan Carothers brought the sport to Kelowna. In 2003 we became a registered not for profit society completely run by volunteers.

We offer everything from introductory to advanced levels of paddling. We develop new skills, create and strengthen teams, encourage sportsmanship and embrace healthy competition. Over the last 20 years we have grown to over 300 members and 14 teams. Our membership age ranges from 20 to 80 years old.

We believe in giving back to our community. 100% of the funds raised from our annual Try Dragon Boating day are donated to the Central Okanagan Food Bank. We have become partners for life with Canadian blood services running a one-day blood drive annually. In honour of our sight impaired team we developed a blindfold race where the entry fee from the participants is donated to BC Blind Sports.

KDBC was an integral part of bringing the first ever paddle trail to the Okanagan. It is a trail open to all non-motorized water sports. The trail spans 27 km with 22 buoys installed from McKinley beach to Bertram Creek Park.

Our club hosts the Kelowna Dragon Boat Festival every year on the last weekend of August. This is a one-day festival with racing comprised of 200m, 500m and a guts and glory race along with breast cancer survivor teams and the blindfold races. We are continually growing this event and invite teams to compete in one of the most beautiful venues in the world, in the heart of the Okanagan at Tugboat Bay.

The KDBC Spirit team is comprised of paddlers from our various teams. This team has competed around the world. We have been to Hong Kong, Dublin and various cities throughout Canada and the US.

We continue to grow our club and are always looking for new members. We understand the power of a strong community that promotes sportsmanship, friendship and healthy competition. Support a club that believes in a positive and safe paddling environment for everyone. Dragon Boating is one of the fastest growing water sports in the world and we would love for you to be part of it.