Beyond the Game 

PCKDF set for big splash with 2024 ICF Dragon Boat World Championships hosting

By Brian Yalung

The Philippines has proven that it has the resources to host international sporting events and a big one is set to happen in the coming weeks. This is in reference to the 2024 International Canoe Federation Dragon Boat World Championships scheduled from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, in Puerto Princesa City, Philippines.

This will mark the first time that the meet event will be held in Southeast Asia, with more than 30 countries participating. According to PCKDF President Leonora Escollante, the chance to host the event was extended to July 2023 in China.

Escollante shared how she was given a month to decide if the Philippines was capable of hosting the biennial event that last took place in 2018 Lake Lanier, Gainesville USA in 2018. Pressed for time, coach Len went to work, coordinating with key people to see if hosting the 2024 UIFC Dragon Boat World Championships was feasible.

She discussed the opportunity with Puerto Princesa, Palawan Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron. Both were aware that it was a rare chance to host the event for the first time, and also an opportunity to boost sports tourism in the Philippines.

Things fell into place with Mayor Bayron grabbing the opportunity. Hence, everything else followed after that. Escollante and the PCKDF have been working around the clock for the event. There will be 52 events scheduled for the 2024 ICF Dragon Boat World Championships with more than 3,000 delegates expected to participate.

With the stage set, the 2024 ICF World Dragon Boat Championships is not purely about determining which country has the best paddlers. Rather, it is also about raising awareness for climate action as each participant does his/ her part in preserving the environment.

Big stakes for PH Paddlers

The PCKDF is aware that being the host, pressure is on the PH national team to be at its best. While Escollante is confident that our local representatives will embrace this challenge, she points out that there are also big stakes on the line.

“Excited talaga ang mga participants, paddlers natin. Time to shine eh. Gusto nilang ipakita… makikipag-bakbakan sa world’s best paddlers na dito gaganapin sa Pilipinas,” Escollante said.

“Ang pinakamaganda rito is, ito yung qualifying natin. Isang event dito, yung mixed small boat na tinatawag – apat na babae at apat na lalake sa isang bangka. Ito ang magiging qualifying for world games next year. Ang top 10 na bansa lang ang papasok to qualify for the world games next year,” she added, referring to the World Games set to take place from August 17 to 25 in Chengdu, China in 2025.

Aside from the environmental and qualifying opportunities, the PCKDF has already scored it big with the staging of the 2024 ICF World Dragon Championships in Puerto Princesa. It is a rare opportunity for the country, something that may be hard to do again.

Regardless, Coach Len said it right when she said that it was time for our local paddlers to shine. However, as I mentioned to her after our talk several weeks ago, staging the event alone is already a huge accomplishment on their part and the Philippines as a whole.