2026 Team Participants
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Our goal is to empower and train individuals to become outstanding paddlers and to cultivate a deeper appreciation for Asian/Pacific and other cultural heritages through team building, recreation, friendship and fun.
We have been paddling since 2004.
Tempe, AZ
Coach: Ben Choi
Yrs. exp: 11+
Founded in 2002 as Arizona’s first dragon boat club, the Arizona Gila Dragons are the premier athlete development program within the Arizona Dragon Boat Association. Our culture blends elite training, exceptional coaching, and an unwavering commitment to teamwork. Led by nationally accomplished coaches and featuring Team USA athletes, World Champions, and USDBF National Champions, the Gilas have built a legacy of excellence on and off the water. Whether you’re pursuing your first race or the world stage, you’ll train alongside dedicated teammates in a community that develops champions while fostering lifelong friendships.
Co-Head Coaches: Patrick Counihan & Valentino Hafalia
Co-Assistant Coaches: Kevin Hornsby & Peter Funnell
Co-Liaisons: Michele Laye & Ben Choi
Team Captain: Kevin Hornsby
Built on brotherhood, discipline, and collaboration. Arizona Ronin Wake brings together paddlers from teams across the Arizona dragon boat and outrigger canoe communities, united by a shared passion for paddling, competition, and supporting one another on and off the water. One Boat. One Brotherhood. One Wake.
Tempe, AZ
Head Coach: Ilona White
Asst Coaches: Marissa Carranza & Gurmeet Attra
Team Captain: Michele Laye
Yrs. Exp: 17
Since 2009, SunGi has grown from Arizona’s desert into one of the nation’s respected all-women’s dragon boat programs, forged on the waters of Tempe Town Lake. We believe every paddler deserves the opportunity to grow, which is why we welcome women of all experience levels and cultivate them through disciplined coaching, technical mastery, high-performance training, and an unwavering commitment to one another. Whether discovering the sport for the first time or preparing to compete on the national and international stage, every athlete is challenged to become stronger, more confident, and more connected. Together, we build championship-caliber crews, lifelong friendships, and a legacy of women who rise by lifting one another.
Today, Hanohano has proven itself to be one of the more dynamic and winning clubs in Southern California. Competition and racing are of utmost importance to Hanohano, but doing one’s best is the most important. This attitude is exemplified by all the hard work members do for the betterment of the club. In addition to racing, Hanohano has social events/fundraisers which include a corporate regatta and holiday events to share aloha with members and the community.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Strong strokes. Big hearts. Let it Ride.
Born in the heart of Las Vegas, Let It Ride Dragonboat Team is a crew brought together by the love of dragon boat racing, teamwork, friendship, and the thrill of being on the water.
We believe dragon boat is about more than crossing a finish line. It’s about paddlers moving as one, pushing each other to be better, celebrating every victory, and having a hell of a lot of fun along the way.
From the first stroke to the final beat of the drum, we bring energy, determination, camaraderie, and a little Vegas attitude to every race.
We race hard. We laugh hard. We support our teammates. And when the call comes to paddle…
LET IT RIDE. 🎲🐉
📍 Las Vegas, Nevada
🥁 One Boat. One Beat. One Team.
🔥 Paddle Strong. Race Hard. Let It Ride.
Based out of Aurora, Colorado, we’re a competitive dragon boat family that trains hard, fights for one another, fosters a supportive paddling culture, and has a questionable obsession with going faster.
Our mission: Enter the San Diego ocean as lake paddlers, leave as survivors, eat good food, and have a damn good time doing it.
We are the PASCO Fighting Dragons.
Our environment is built on the “hard-fun” of the sport—pushing our limits together during training cycles, then celebrating that shared effort off the water. At PHCC, you’ll find a second family that works hard, plays hard, and always paddles for the person sitting next to them. We are passionate about growing the sport, offering a dedicated beginners program to welcome newcomers to the water alongside our competitive crews. Fielding teams across Men’s, Women’s, Mixed, and Senior categories, PHCC arrives at the event ready to compete, support the paddling community, and have a great time doing it. Feel free to visit us anytime you are in Arizona!
Learn more about us at www.teamsurvivorsd.org or reach out to us via email at info@TeamSurvivorSD.org
Our team brings together paddlers with a wide range of experience, from longtime racers to newer members of the Wasabi family. We’re proud of the work we’ve put in together this season and excited to bring that energy to San Diego!
Our crew brings together paddlers with a wide range of experience, from longtime racers to newer members of the Wasabi family. We’ve grown a lot together this season, building confidence, finding our rhythm, and discovering just how much we can accomplish as a crew.
We’re excited to bring our energy, heart, and a little bit of Fire to San Diego!
With a mix of experienced racers, Force has built a strong team culture rooted in hard work, growth, and, of course, having a whole lot of fun along the way!
We’re excited to bring our competitive energy to San Diego!
Impact is all about growth, teamwork, and creating opportunities for paddlers to challenge themselves in a competitive but supportive environment. We’re proud of how much this crew has grown and can’t wait to race together in San Diego!
Bringing paddlers from both of our women’s boats into a single crew is a chance to combine different strengths, experience, and energy into one boat. We’re excited to see what happens when two crews that have spent the season pushing each other come together and race as one! It’s a fun opportunity to celebrate the strength, growth, and camaraderie we’ve built across our program this season.
