On June 9, 22 Ligerbots participated in the 47th annual Boston Dragon Boat Festival on the Charles River. This year’s team was composed of rowers, a drummer and a steerer who all worked together to drive their 40 foot boat 500 meters down river. As one of three youth teams in the competition, the Newton Liger Youth Team placed 4th in their division with a time of 02:36:80.

This year’s team faced multiple challenges, including a limited practice schedule and a large number of new rowers. Despite this, the team gave a solid performance during the Saturday time trials with an average heat time of 1:07:62. Unlike last year, the weather cooperated, with cool temperatures and rain that held off until the evening.

The Boston Dragon Boat Festival is the oldest in the United States, and this year, 46 teams competed at youth, collegiate and corporate levels. The finalists of this year’s race will travel to Hong Kong to represent the U.S. in the 2025 Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Competition. For the LigerBots, though, it’s all about the excitement of racing and the fun of earning medals.