Mekong Dragons

We are passionate about dragon boating.

Board of Directors:

• Mariana Strubinger
  President & Chair of the Board
• Jason Adamo
  Vice-president & Vice-chair of the Board
• Vilay Rajbout
  Treasurer
• Coryn Murphy
  Secretary
• Jonathan Archer
• Enoy Chanlyvong
• Ace Chanlyvong
• Tom Bombard

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We are a nonprofit dragon boat team, based in Atlanta, GA.

Mekong Dragons is a charitable organization that builds community and promotes wellness through dragon boat training, competition, and cultural appreciation. Open to all, we are especially committed to creating access opportunities so individuals from under-resourced or underrepresented communities can participate fully. In addition to reducing barriers, we actively engage in outreach to connect with those who may not otherwise have access to organized fitness or team-based sports. Through teamwork, camaraderie, and personal growth, we empower participants to develop leadership, physical fitness, and self-confidence. We also provide education on the health benefits of physical activity. With a focus on access, sportsmanship, and community engagement, we strive to inspire resilience and collective achievement both on and off the water. Send us a message for more information

Our mission, at a glance.

We breathe and dream about dragon boat!

History

Past
In its early beginnings, the team was rather small and the sport was taken leisurely, but as it found itself becoming a serious contender in races, its name and reputation grew to become associated with the local premier teams.

The commitment, discipline and training grew with the desire to strive and become gold medalists and trophy winners. Under the continued direction of coach Enoy (member of the USA dragon boat team), the Mekong Dragons team became the overall winner of the Atlanta Hong Kong Festival for the first time in 2015, and kept placing among the top teams in all races since, then taking the trophy back home again in 2019.

Unfortunately, 2020 proved to be a difficult year as the pandemic kept the team from training on the water. However, in 2021 we came back with renewed desires and it became a milestone of a year, as the team traveled outside of the state of Georgia for two races: Charlotte in October (getting the silver medals) and Lake Hernando in November (placing in fifth place, in a very competitive race).

In 2022 we accomplished a lot! We are officially registered as a nonprofit. Our old boat went through a period of rehab. We participated in five races, including for the first time Nashville, where we took gold.

In 2023 we sold our old boat, bought a new boat, and again participated in five races, including the Club Crew National Championship (US Nationals). We collected many medals and trophies across all races and finished the season with a race in Puerto Rico in January 2024 where we took Bronze.

In 2024 have continued to work on our craft and reaped the rewards. In the Lake Hernando race in November we entered four boats, and brought back home the Gold medal for the Standard Premier Mix boat, Gold medal for the Small Premier Open (Mekong Mules), Bronze medal for the Small Premier Women (Mekong Muscle),

Present
2024
This year we are competing in six races throughout four states: Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and Puerto Rico.

Future
We are individually committed to the team, and as a team we are committed to growing within the community, to spread the cheer of dragon boating.

We have many goals, which include:

• To raise enough funds to buy a second boat and trailer so that we can more easily meet the training demands of our growing family.
• Engage in community efforts that support and promote healthy habits, food security, housing security, education.