- Honoring Ron Hau – Retiring from the ADBA
Dragon boat racing has a history stretching back centuries, but its modern presence in the United States—especially in the Midwest—is still relatively young. Much of its growth in our region is thanks to a small group of dedicated pioneers. Among them is Ron Hau of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, whose impact on the sport spans more than 30 years.
At the local level, Ron was deeply involved with the Cedar River Dragon Boat Association, playing a key role in organizing and supporting the Cedar River Dragon Boat Festival for over a decade. His commitment helped build a strong foundation for the sport within the community.
Regionally, Ron served the ADBA in numerous capacities, including festival director, website manager, vice president, president, and equipment manager. He also took on the demanding role of sterning both Hong Kong– and Taiwan-style boats for more than 20 years, demonstrating exceptional skill and leadership on the water.
Nationally, Ron contributed to the development of the United States Dragon Boat Federation (USDBF), serving as vice president and earning his USDBF official’s license—further solidifying his legacy within the sport.
Ron embodies the true spirit of a pioneer. His dedication, leadership, and wisdom have left a lasting mark on the dragon boat community. He will be greatly missed on the ADBA Board of Directors.
Thank you for your service, Ron!
- 2026 CanAm Bulletin 1 issued
The USDBF has announced that the 2026 CanAm Club Crew Championships will be held in Montreal, Canada. The dates are set for July 17 – 20, 2026.
For more information click here for the flyer giving more details.
Bulletin One has been issued for this event and can be found by clicking here.
Get your crew together and get registered for this fun International Competition!
- ADBA Newsletter issued
The Summer 2026 issue of the ADBA newsletter has been issued.
Check the main menu under “Newsletters” to keep up to date with ADBA activities.
- ADBA 2026 Planning Survey Winner!
LET IT RUN…. The survey race is over, the paddles are down, and the results are in…
🏆 Congratulations to the KC PINK WARRIORS!! 🏆
Your team paddled ahead in survey responses and earned a FREE 2026 ADBA Team Membership!
Thank you to everyone who joined in the friendly competition and helped shape next year’s programming.
Missed out on the survey? Submit any ideas or feedback by clicking here!Here are the results:
32 KC Pink Warriors
27 Dragon Divas
20 Indy Survivoars
18 SLAP Dragons
7 MNDBC
3 Dubuque DBA
2 Breast of Texas - ADBA President Inducted into IDBF Hall of Fame
Congratulations go out to our ADBA President, Barbara Michaels! It is with great pride that we announce that our ADBA President, Barb Michaels has been inducted into the International Dragon Boat Federation’s Hall of Fame! Barb’s recognition came as a result of her years of work as a “Sport Developer” at many levels. She has worked hard at the local festival level, along with giving her leadership time with the United States Dragon Boat Federation and of course her years with the American Dragon Boat Association.
Pictured above is Sue Holloway (left – IDBF Hall of Fame Committee Chair) and Barb Michaels (right)
The IDBF Hall of Fame Awards Night took place July 18th during the 17th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Brandenburg, Germany. This exciting event honored the inductees and their incredible accomplishments, shining a spotlight on their lasting legacy in the dragon boating community.
Congratulations to Barb on her 2025 Hall of Fame induction!
For more information about the IDBF Hall of Fame and past inductees, please visit https://www.dragonboat.sport/about-us/hall-of-fame/hall-of-fame-inductees/.
- Link to 13th IDBF CCWC event videos, 2022
The IDBF Club Crew World Championships were held beginning on Tuesday, July 19th, 2022. This is the 13th year that the International Dragon Boat Federation has held the Club Crew World Championships and in 2022 they were held in Sarasota, Florida.
You can view a YouTube archive of each day’s racing by going to this link:
https://www.youtube.com/nathanbendersonparkconservancy - IDBF moves to new website
The International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) has announced that it has moved it’s website to a new domain name. See the Media Release below:
