The American Swan Boat Association, Inc. (ASBA):

Established in January 1989 is a non-profit charitable amateur sports organization founded to: (1) foster national and international amateur sports competition in Swan Boat racing, (2) create and foster friendship, understanding, camaraderie, cooperation and teamwork among the different peoples who practice and participate in the sport of Swan Boat racing, (3) promote equal opportunity in the sport of Swan Boat racing regardless of race, religion, age, sex, color, or national and ethnic origin, (4) support and develop amateur athletes for Swan Boat competitions, and (5) work toward having Swan Boat /Dragon Boat racing recognized as an official Olympic sport. For further information contact ASBA Chairperson, Glen Forest Green at e-mail address: chairman@swanboat.org 
 or Fax: 856-468-0036

"WORLD SWAN BOAT CHAMPIONS" -- 1994 U.S. Women's Team

Jaime Arreola, Carol Arreola, Kainoa Forrest, Darcie Wilcox, Caroline impson, Laura Beemer, Catheine Curtis, Mary Ellen Houston, Dianna Flores, Tamara Smith, Vcki Kekuawela, Susan Wilson, Valerie Welch, Heide Macomber, Monique Seager, Lisa Livingston, Tricia Nagatani, Kalae Javellana, Michelle Campillo, Shelia Beahm, Stephanie Titus, Cathleen Whitford, Debbie Cheever, Kathy Gasuad; Steersman: Billy Philpotts; Whistler/Coach: Gaylord Wilcox.

In 1994 the United States Team had its best year ever at Thailand's International Swan Boat Races. Composed of 20 paddlers, one steersman and one whistler, crews under the meticulous leadership of American Swan Boat Chairman Glen Green, have represented the U.S. every year since the races began in 1988. Due to some uncertainty concerning Thailand's continuing its gracious sponsorship, crew organization had a late start in '94. Finally when in late summer the official word came that the Tourism Authority of Thailand would be hosting the race as usual (hotel, opening & closing parties, most meals and transportation provided) in mid-November, phones and faxes along the East Coast and out in Hawaii started going off. When the lines had all cleared and the last passport picked up ten minutes before closing the day before the flight, a near bear minimum 44 paddlers had been scraped together one more-time.

Previous year's 1993 Hawaiian Swahines
The Women were similar to 1993's bronze medalists - an all Hawaiian crew self-dubbed the Swahines {Swan ahines (Women)} with ten returnees. Two-thirds of the team came from Kauai (the rest from Oahu) under the tutelage of Hanalei Canoe Club's veteran outrigger coach and steerer Kainoa Forrest. Practicing together for a few weeks enabled these ocean- goers to familiarize themselves with paddling on only one side and getting use to the kayak paddle grip needed to hold the large handleless teakwood Swan Boat paddles. What couldn't be practiced in Hawaii was the crowed seating conditions of long-boats and the tippyness of these boats due their perfectly round bottom -- tippyness which is magnified by the pendulum affect ofthe tall intricately carved slender mythical swan's head on the bow of the boat. With only 21 women, it was decided to move Kainoa from steerswoman to paddler and put in the Men's steersman Billy Philpotts (most southeast Asian women's teams use male steersman). The Team, averaging 138 pounds per person, looked about as strong as last year's, and quite possibly better.

In the first heat the Swahines drew Taiwan and awesome Thailand who has raced undefeated for the past three years. Off to a great start behind stroker Kathy Witford, the United States held a half boat length lead 50 meters into he 650 meter race. But the Thai Women were just getting going and at 100 meters, as the Americans settled from a 96 to an 88 stroke per minute count, Thailand with a 92 stroke rate caught and quickly motored by the Americans. Taiwan on the other side was now also moving on the Americans and by 200 meters had eased by, using a slower stroke and timing that was unimpressive. At this point whistler Gaylord Wilcox called for the first of a few power twenties. But unlike last year's finals when such calls had moved the crew past a Taiwan Team into third, the boat was unable to make any significant dent into the leads. Thailand finished 16 seconds ahead with a time 5 seconds faster then in last year's finals and Taiwan ahead by 5 seconds -- the Swahines were a stunned and disappointed lot.

Hawaiian Outrigger Billy Philpotts shows the proper way to steer (poke)
a Swan Boat using both paddle and feet -- if a foreign team doesn't have
a poker on their squad, Thailand will provide a native steerer for them.

As for the men, the crew consisted of American Canoe Association surfski and United States Canoe Association marathon paddlers and Billy Philpotts, a Hawaiian "poker" (outrigger steersman). A few of these addlers had been alternates on last year's impressively credentialed team. Although last year's 1993 United States team included several national champions and Olympic paddlers it inexplicably failed to make the finals. With half the crew over 40, few of this year's squad would have made '93 team. But averaging 168 pounds per man and with good swan boat experience dating from 1991, they were determined to prove themselves. After 3 days of practice on the Chao Phraya River at the Bang Sai Arts & Crafts Center, an hour north of Bangkok, the newcomers had blended well with the veterans and coach Glen had settled into the only position he'd never sat in previously -- whistler. Having to win their heat to go directly to the semi-finals and avoid either Taiwan or Singapore in a repechage, the U.S. Men successfully turned back Brunei by four seconds, and were feeling as high as the women were low after the first day of competition.On the bus ride back to hotel Glen held a strategy session with Kainoa and Gaylord. He showed them the video of the women's team he had taken from a motor launch he had rented. After some discussion it was agreed that the power of the Hawaiian women could be more efficiently used if their stroke was slowed while burying the paddles deeper in the water and using more of the back in the pull. Being the outstanding athletes that they were the, Hawaiian women had little difficulty implementing these suggestions. In the repechage Sunday morning the boat felt good at an 80 stoke pace as they easily beat Hong Kong by over a minute. By late afternoon the competition had been narrowed down to the final four and race for the gold medal was between the Thai national team, the Singapore women who bested the United States last year, the Hawaiians, and their meniscus in the first race, Taiwan. Following a great start, the Hawaiians and the Thai farm workers from Phichit Province pulled away evenly at 50 meters. Unlike previous races, the Americans gave no ground at 100 meters and were actually up a seat. For the next 200 meters the positions stayed the same, with Gaylord ready to call a power twenty if the Thais made a move. But none was needed, and in the last half of the race the Swahines gradually opened up their lead with their steady 80 rate, ending with a sprint the last 50 meters to win by nearly 3 seconds. The time was 2:56.71, the fastest women's time ever recorded in a Swan Boat, a time only five of the twelve men's crews were able to better.

1994 American Men's Swan Boat Team (Bronze Medalists) -- Brian Masters, Tom Ostrowski, Bob Silvernail, John Edwards, John Zeigler, Andy Ramelmeier, Ed Pilsitz, Zack Greer, Tom Nicoletti, Pat Reilly, David Thomas, Blake Conant, Chip Coward, Michael Spalding, Billy Balding, Robert Kaden, Paul Ross, Bob Middleton; Steersman: Billy Philpotts; Whistler/Coach: Glen Green.

Earlier that afternoon, the Men lined up with Thailand, Macau and Brunei in the semi's, trying to be only the 2nd U.S. crew in 7 years to make the finals. Lead paddler, 148 pound Honoluluan Billy Balding with continuing verbal feedback from paddlers Chip Coward, John Edwards and John Silvernail kept the crew at a steady pace in the
high 70's. The crew was in the thick-of-things, with the Thais holding a slight lead and Brunei lurking close behind. Glen called "100 meters to go" and the crew turned it up a notch and closed a little, finishing a half-second back, the closest an American team has ever been to Thailand.

After problems last year the starting procedures for these races were changed for the better. In past years the starting fficial would shout "Are You Ready"..., "Ra Wang" ("Get Set" in Thai)..., then a pause and the starting horn would sound. Many of the teams would start on the "Ra Wang" getting a jump. Getting your boat ahead of the bow waves of the other 3,500 pound (including crew) Swan Boats is a tremendous advantage. Myanmar each year tactically moves all of their paddlers up one seat so that the boat rides bow heavy to surf these bow waves. This year the "Ra Wang" command was eliminated so that the horn couldn't be anticipated with any certainty.
The only downside is that the crews have to remain hunched over with their paddles which are buried in the water for what seems to be an unbearably long period of time while waiting for a horn that could sound any second (the wait is due to the officials trying to line up the boats as one or another boat inevitably drifts out of lane or over the starting line).

Just competing as an athlete in front of tens-of-thousands of cheering spectators in World Competition and the pride you get knowing that you are the reason the U.S. flag is flying alongside the flags of the other nations is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but representing your country while the rest of the world is watching is the best feeling of all -- it doesn't get much better than this!

The 1992 U.S. men's team was a true American team with most being members of the United States Canoe Association. They represented the states of Washington, Colorado, New ampshire, Virginia, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, California, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Indiana, and Kansas.