Vermont summers are short, so Malia Paddling & Racing Club packs all the dragon boating we can into those few months.

One of our tricks: We ramp up early with pre-season paddling at a specialized indoor tank in Montreal.

While it lacks the mountain views and amazing sunsets of our beloved Lake Champlain, it's a great place to learn the basics of the dragon boat stroke. It offers lots of opportunity for one-on-one coach instruction and attention, and even a video review so you can learn by watching yourself and others.

We're headed up for a session on Saturday, March 16. If you're curious about dragon boating, we invite you to join us! The training runs from 2-5p, but count on 2h drive either way, plus a little buffer for traffic/border, locker room, and warmups.

Spaces are super limited, so please RSVP soon to manager@maliaracing.com.

We'll answer your questions, have you sign waivers, check your proof of having received the most recent Covid shot, and chat about transport. (A lot of us car pool or caravan and you're welcome to join us — sharing a ride is a great way to get to know prospective teammates!)

(See our other calendar events — a March 7 info session and a March 9 workout.)