Dragon Boat Races Increase In Popularity At Kipona

Capital BlueCross Is Presenting Sponsor Of This Healthy Family Fun Activity

August 27, 2008

Contact:

Joseph Butera 717.541.6139

HARRISBURG – As the televised summer Olympics from Beijing, China have ended, midstaters have a great opportunity to enjoy more Chinese culture and competition locally during this weekend's Kipona Festival. For the second year, presenting sponsor Capital BlueCross and the Chinese Cultural & Arts Institute (CCAI) are bringing Dragon Boat races to River Front Park in Harrisburg on Saturday, Aug. 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Dragon Boats, typically decorated like their namesake, are navigated by a crew of 20 paddlers, one drummer and one steersman. Dragon Boat racing has a 2,000-year history as part of Chinese folk ritual and emerged as an international sport starting in Hong Kong in 1976. The competition has grown in popularity locally, too, and this year's races have drawn more than four times the number of teams who participated in last year's inaugural competition.

The race at Kipona will provide some stiff competition among the 18 entrants, including the U.S. national champion Philadelphia Dragon Boat Association (PDBA). The PDBA will represent the United States in the world championships in Prague next year. The Kipona race will also feature teams from Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

The City of Harrisburg, Jumbo Buffet and Ducky's Boats are also sponsoring the event.

Chinese Cultural & Arts Institute is a non-profit organization with a mission of introducing Chinese culture, arts and heritage to United States communities. It also helps facilitate and nurture an understanding between the East and West culture.

About Capital BlueCross
Capital BlueCross is the leading health insurer in its market, providing health insurance coverage to nearly one million people in central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley. Capital BlueCross is committed to making health insurance simple, offering easy to use health care and personal service at competitive prices. The company has been serving its customers through all the stages of their life for more than 70 years and employs more than 2,300 people. Capital BlueCross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit http://www.capbluecross.com/.