"the radical new stroke"

"radical new hybrid stroke"

Open Letter to the Editor of
DRAGON BOAT WORLD magazine

Re: Mac Hickox's article about a "new" DB stroke

Nice issue for Spring 2005, Rocket guy !




Is "The HicKox Code" like Da Vinci's: Fax or Fixion ?

The stroke mechanics described by Mac Hickox in the Spring 2005 issue of DBW have actually been around and in use in other parts of Canada since the mid-late 1980s, as well as in the Pacific Northwest of the USA beginning in the early 1990s. Now while you might not see a whole lot of this distinctively Canadian DB paddling technique being well executed at your local festival, an ideal technical model and the essential principles have been known for well over a dozen years nevertheless.

I've had the wonderful privilege of being tutored by some of the country's finest premier national DB coaches both east and west since DB racing first reached Canadian shores 20 years ago this month. Perhaps what is new then is the appreciation and re-codification of the component elements of "Canada's winning dragon boat stroke" to a wider domestic and international community through your informative magazine.

The Canadian DB Style (CDBS) has won more gold and silver medals in multi-national competition than any other "best paddling practice".

Mac has employed some different phraseology, but there already exist two different sets of manuals and videos documenting essentially the same "Canadian dragon boat stroke". The first set was developed for DB paddling clinics held in Portland, OR in the early 90s and feature FCRCC's then president Judy Shandler. The second set was developed by Pat Barker (who wrote "Dragon Boats: A Celebration" in 1995-6 co-incident with the 1st World Champs in China and the 1st Club Crew Champs in Canada; and who produced a film for her Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design portfolio) together with Drew Mitchell, under contract to the FCRCC, using cut footage of paddlers that never made it into Pat's ECIAD production.

For example, where Mac describes "a slight hesitation in the 'sqaure in the air' position", this also has been (and still is !) referred to as "hang time" in some parts. Similarly, positioning the paddle blade "in a positive angle" is also referred to as a "low angle of attack" or "raked forward" (terms borrowed from the aviation and marine community.) You get the idea.

Mac makes reference to the "near" side in some of his descriptions, which I find a bit ambiguous. Either inboard or outboard side might be more apt as descriptors.

Perhaps the most telling bit of history is that when the body mechanics are performed as described, in silhouette the paddler and his/her paddle at the catch form the shape of the letter "A". Because of the short length of the DB paddle shaft and the low and seated position of the paddler in the boat, the A so formed is much more distinctive than that of, say, a high kneeling C boat or Cdn war canoe long-shafted paddler. Because this silhouette was so emblematic of the Canadian approach to racing dragon boats, a stylized Canuck DB paddler (i.e. a graphic stick figure like the ones used on international airport signs for customs or for each of the Montreal Olympic sport disciplines back in the 70s) was used for spelling each "A" in "CANADA", a wordmark that was used for our first national team logo at the inaugural world championships for our sport.

There's a few forum postings every how and again about "east vs. west" when it comes to styles for stroking dragons. But from a world perspective, Canada's DB paddlers are always very clearly recognizable out on the water from a distance at world meets, owing to our so-called "radical new stroke" -- which turns 20 this month.

May the code be with you.


Afternote:

The point of this commentary is not to foment "who-invented-it-first-ism", but rather to celebrate the things we share over time and space as Canadian dragon boat enthusiasts. I know Mac personally and have a great deal of respect for him and his outstanding work.

Don't have KD's email address so could somebody pls pass this along to him, thanks.

www.dragonboatworld.com

email him there, dude.

Someone who writes an 'open letter' usually has the balls to sign their name. Why would Konrad, DB World, or any other publication bother to print an anonymous letter?

Konrad's contact information should be in the magazine, which you are making your point from. It seems you have an issue and chose the forum to air it out. If there was a correction that needed to be made, then Konrad should have been given the opportunity in the upcoming issue.

Konrad has potential but has a long way to go!

Konrad has potential but has a long way to go!

Hey, it's ok, this is a forum. The next issue of DBW won't be out for quite some time and whether it is signed is no guarantee that it will be printed. This way at least is more timely during a high point in the season's beginning.

"Nice issue for Spring 2005, Rocket guy !"

The fact that you said this tells me you know his email address.

I agree. The original poster DEFINITELY knows Konrad.

If you've been around this forum for a while, you should be able to figure out who the original poster is. Let's just say that his writing style is unique. (and sometimes hard to read!).

He also likes to paddle a piroque dragon.

Hey watch what you say about my wife.

So far both the original poster and Mr. D. have been commented upon. That aside, does anyone have anything insightful to say about the points intially raised ? That is, is the approach advocated by Max H. something that's widely accepted by other coaches in different variations or is it truly "radical" ?

Anyone who is suggesting that the FRCCC technique of the early 90's written about by Pat Barker and described by Drew Mitchell is the same as what Mac is preaching doesn't understand the sport much. Watch a western Canada crew paddling and then watch Mac's cews or the Toronto and Montreal based premier teams and you'll see a noticeable difference.

Any coach worth their salt, has borrowed/pinched/aquired every technical aspect to the stroke they can find from every othr coach.

Any top level coach will find a way to refine it for the individaul crew they are working with. Sometimes you have to tweak the technique.

So what bits are "radical" ?

Yeah, it's pathetically obvious.