SARASOTA, Fla. — Hundreds of dragon boat racers braved the heat on Saturday while competing in the Club Crew National Championship in Sarasota.
The winning racers will have the opportunity to compete in Italy.
The President of the U.S. Dragon Boat Federation, Mark Kane explained it's an all-inclusive sport. Some athletes have disabilities and some battled cancer.
"We have a team here that is visually impaired, Out of Sight Dragons, from Washington D.C.," Kane said.
There were 45 clubs from all over the U.S. in Sarasota.
Dragon boat racing is a sport that started in China over three thousand years ago. It's a sport that's for all ages.
"We have age groups from under 16 to over 60. On my team, we have a gentleman that’s over 80. So you can paddle at any age," Kane stated.
You can watch the races in person at Nathan Benderson Park this weekend. Races start at 7:30 am and go until the afternoon, all-weather depending.