Retirees Try Dragon Boating with the “Viu en gran!” Program from the Consell

The Consell de Mallorca has launched new sports initiatives for retirees, such as dragon boat paddling, which was practiced by around fifty participants in Alcúdia, on Lake Esperança.

This activity is part of the “Viu en gran!” program, launched by the institution in July, featuring four types of group activities aimed at promoting healthy aging and enhancing social interaction: nature activities, sea-based activities, health workshops, and community experiences.

Pedro Bestard, Second Vice President and Councillor for the Environment, Rural Affairs and Sports, took part in the dragon boat activity with a group from Es Carritxó (Felanitx), keeping the rhythm on the drum, which coordinates paddling in this over 2,000-year-old sport. The workshop also includes an introduction to proper technique, followed by joint mobility and stretching exercises.

Bestard emphasized that “the Consell is firmly committed to promoting health and an active lifestyle among the elderly through sport, especially now that we are seeing a rise in the average age curve — and this population group is reaching retirement in very good shape. That’s why, through the Sports Department, we will invest €950,000 annually.” He added, “Promoting health among the elderly is essential, especially considering that by 2030, just around the corner, 30% of the population will be over 65 years old.”

The Consell acquired two dragon boats two seasons ago and makes them available to the Balearic Canoeing Federation, while also using the boats for family, school, and now senior-focused activities. Dragon boating is an ancient Chinese sport that promotes cardiovascular fitness and coordination.

Traditionally, boats are decorated with a dragon’s head at the bow and a tail at the stern. All paddlers must synchronize their strokes with the “strokers” — the paddlers in the front row who set the rhythm. At the bow, a drum marks the stroke tempo set by the strokers, while at the stern, a helmsman steers the boat.

Competitions are held over distances of 200, 500, and 2,000 meters (long-distance). Short races take place in marked lanes, similar to sprint regattas, while long-distance events include turns at buoys.

Viu en gran! program:
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