Vice President Bestard inaugurates the Dragon Boat, a water activity for seniors.

PalmThe Consell de Mallorca (Mallorca Council) has launched a new sporting activity for senior citizens: dragon boating in Alcudia, on Lake Esperanza. Pedro Bestard, Second Vice President and Regional Minister for the Environment, Rural Affairs, and Sports, shared the dragon boat with a group from Carritxó, Felanitx, and set the pace with the drum, which allows for coordinated group rowing, in a sport that dates back more than 2,000 years. This is the second aquatic activity Bestard has launched this year, following the water bike activity for senior citizens.

The activity is framed within the program 'Live large!', which the institution has been launching since July with four lines of activities that aim to promote healthy aging and enhance sociability, given that they are group activities: activities in nature, at sea, health workshops, and community experiences.

Bestard emphasized that "the Consell is firmly committed to promoting health and an active lifestyle among the elderly through sports, as there is currently an increasing age curve and this group reaches retirement age in top form. Therefore, from the Sports Department we will invest 950." In addition, Bestard added that "promoting health among the elderly is essential if we take into account that by 2030, 30% of the population will be over 65 years old."

Dragon Bot, an ancient Chinese sport

The Consell acquired two dragon boats two seasons ago and leases their use to the Balearic Canoeing Federation, which uses the boats for family, school, and, now, senior activities. This is an ancient Chinese sport that enhances cardiovascular activity and coordination.

According to tradition, boats decorated with a dragon's head on the bow and a dragon's tail on the stern must be used. All paddlers must match their strokes to the rhythm indicated by the marks, that is, the paddlers in the front row. A drum is placed at the bow of the boat that signals the paddling rhythm established by the marks, while a helmsman is placed at the stern in charge of steering the boat.

Competitions are held over distances of 200, 500, and 2,000 meters, which is the long-distance competition. For short distances, they compete on lanes similar to those of a sprint racecourse, while for long distances, they are done with a turning circle.