SAG1 Dragon Boat Team and Hornet Film Collaboration

​

Direct Answer

Our relationship with the SAG1 Dragon Boat Team in the Philippines grew after James, a SAG1 paddler, won our 2018 Annual Paddle Design Contest. The winning design was produced on a Hornet dragon boat paddle. The relationship later developed into a collaboration on a three-minute short film featuring SAG1, the team’s story, and the work involved in building and training a competitive dragon boat team.

​

How the Collaboration Began

Our annual paddle-design contest invited paddlers to submit original artwork for a dragon boat paddle. In 2018, James from SAG1 submitted the winning design and received a Hornet paddle produced with his artwork. The project created an initial connection between:

• An individual paddler and designer
• The wider SAG1 Dragon Boat Team
• Our custom graphic paddle program
• Our international dragon boat community

Rather than ending when the prize was delivered, the relationship continued through team communication and a shared interest in promoting dragon boat.

​

From Paddle Design to Short Film

We later worked with SAG1 on a short film about the team. The film was designed to show more than racing results. It highlighted:

• The team’s story and background
• The work required to build and maintain a dragon boat team
• Training, preparation, and team commitment
• Friendship and support within the sport
• The role of a local team in the wider international dragon boat community

Our original article describes the project as a three-minute video intended to inspire dragon boat paddlers and teams around the world.

​

Why This Project Matters

The SAG1 collaboration connects several parts of our history:

​

Community Participation

The project began with an open design contest that allowed paddlers to contribute their own visual ideas.

​

Custom Paddle Design

James’s artwork moved from a contest entry to a finished Hornet paddle, demonstrating how original paddler-created artwork can become a functional paddle design.

​

Team Storytelling

The short film gave SAG1 a way to present its history, effort, and team culture beyond a single race result.

​

International Relationships

The collaboration connected Hornet with a team in the Philippines and added a documented community project to Hornet’s international dragon boat record.

​

What Other Teams Can Learn From SAG1

The project offers a practical model for teams that want to tell their story:

1. Identify the people, history, or mission that makes the team distinctive.
2. Collect original photographs, training footage, and team interviews.
3. Connect the visual story to the team’s paddles, uniforms, logos, and identity.
4. Focus on the work and relationships behind the racing results.
5. Publish the final story where paddlers, sponsors, community members, and future recruits can find it.

A team story is most useful when it is specific. Names, dates, locations, photographs, and direct team participation make the project more credible than general promotional language.

​

Design Contests as Community Projects

A paddle-design contest can do more than produce a new graphic. It can:

• Give paddlers a direct role in product artwork
• Introduce artists and teams to custom paddle design
• Create a visible connection between a paddler and the finished product
• Generate team stories and community recognition
• Lead to longer-term collaboration, as happened with SAG1

Contest rules, eligibility, dates, and prizes vary by year and are published separately when a contest is active.

​

Frequently Asked Questions

​

Who is SAG1?

SAG1 is a dragon boat team in the Philippines featured in Hornet’s 2020 collaboration article and short film.

​

How did Hornet’s relationship with SAG1 begin?

The relationship grew after James, a SAG1 paddler, won Hornet’s 2018 Annual Paddle Design Contest and received a paddle produced with his winning design.

​

What was the SAG1 film about?

The three-minute film featured the team’s story and offered a look at the work, training, friendship, and commitment involved in building a competitive dragon boat team.

​

Did Hornet create a custom paddle from the winning design?

Yes. The original article states that James received a Hornet dragon boat paddle created with his winning design.

​

Where can customers in the Philippines buy Hornet products?

Our listed dealer in the Philippines is DragonBoat.PH. The dedicated dealer page includes Ian Ulpindo’s contact information and English and Filipino purchasing guidance.

​

Original Source and Related Pages