× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

Release the dragons for the Richmond International Dragon Boat Festival.

This Saturday, Aug. 6, teams of 20 synchronized paddlers will race 500 meters up the James River in 40-foot canoes decorated to look like traditional Chinese dragon boats, complete with dragon heads and tails.

Sportable, a Richmond-based organization that helps disabled athletes, will participate again this year, according to Hunter Leemon, Sportable’s executive director .

“We had so much fun last year, we’ve committed to three boats this year,” Leemon said.

Each boat has a drummer to set the beat for the synchronized paddling necessary to power the boat.

Last year, Leemon acted as the drummer on his boat. But he said this year he’s going to work his muscles as a paddler.

“It’s intense. It’s hard work. When 20 people are paddling, it’s organized chaos,” Leemon said. “But it’s also a heck of a lot of fun.”

The Sportable team members wear orange T-shirts and call themselves “Team Orange.” Two participants on their team, Taylor Jones and Antoine Craig, are blind, and another, Robin Yoder, is an amputee. But all three are active and powerful helpers on the boat.