30th March 2009
The inaugural National Dragon Boat Championships run by the NZDBA were held at Blue Lake on the 28th-29th March 2009. Thirty three adult teams competed on the Saturday, with a steady stream of spectators and supporters. All teams improved over the course of the day.
The Championships are open to all teams including Open, Corporate, Breast Cancer and Secondary Schools. Adults raced against all other Open and Corporate teams - an even playing field for one National Title - ultimate bragging rights - the winner take all. Teams who don't make the Grand Final were seeded into minor finals.
Breast Cancer teams compete with all other adult teams in the Heats, but had their own Grand Final for Breast Cancer Teams. The Traditional Flower ceremony held after their Grand Final is always a most moving occasion to celebrate life.
Finals were close, as expected. Local team Rotorua District Council's "Rotodragons" won a final, and as expected the Grand Final was down-to-the-wire with KPC (Kiwi Paddling Club) taking out the inaugural National Dragon Boat Champs.
Click here for Adults results...
Secondary schools compete on 29th March with the traditional, boys, girls and mixed Junior
Twelve Schools competed on a brilliantly hot Sunday. Although numbers were low, teams and spectators enjoyed the big day out.
Click here for Secondary School results...
One of the old dragonboats was painted up with an underwater theme and dressed up with flowers and flags. Kids were allowed to paddle in the boat during the break and it was well received by all.
Some links to view on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg3-M3wOIdo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj1PGzuzxjQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2eJWihMf38
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1vdkWulp98
4th August 2008
The IDBF World Crew Club Champs and the ADBF Dragonboat Championships held at the Teluk Bahang Dam, Penang Malaysia 31st July to 3rd August 2008, were a resounding success with over 222 crews competing, making this the single biggest Dragonboat Championships ever.
With 4 days of competition and excellent weather all crews rose to the occasion. The KPC Juniors Crew from Auckland did themselves proud by picking up Silver medals in the 2000m, 200m and 500m events placing respectable times as well. It was a proud moment to see them all glowing at the after party. Well done to their coach and sweep Israil Foreman and the KPC Junior Mixed Crew.
21st July 2008
As a part of NZDBA initiative to forward the sport of dragonboating towards International Race Standards and Competitions we advise our members that the current rotation of the National Championships will no longer be a part of the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch Festivals. This will not affect the Festivals or regattas as they are currently run.
The NZDBA will be running the National Dragon Boat Championships as a stand-alone event to better reflect the changes necessary to bring the Cultural, Historical and competitive aspects of the sport of dragonboating into the 21st century to the betterment of paddlers.
The NZDBA have been researching a number of locations that will be needed to accommodate the International 500m racecourse necessary to meet IDBF standards for competition.
As such we wish to inform all NZDBA paddlers that the National Dragon Boat Championships will be held at Blue Lake, Rotorua on 28th-29th March 2009. More information will be provided regarding this event in due course, so watch this space. Lake Hood located in Ashburton, Christchurch has been sought as a venue suitable to run the Nationals in alternate seasons to help assist the Mainlanders from Aoraki Dragon Boat Association.
15th April 2008
The NZDBA wish to acknowledge that the Shirley Boys High School winners of the Secondary School Boys Division at the National Dragon Boat Champs held at Takapuna, Auckland have been selected to represented New Zealand at the IDBF World Dragon Boat Championships to be held at Prague, in the Czech Republic in 2010.
The NZDBA wish to acknowledge that the Upper Hutt Force Dragon Boat team winners of the Secondary School mixed division at the National Dragon boat Champs held at Takapuna, Auckland have been selected to represent New Zealand at the IDBF World Dragon Boat Championships to be held at Poznan, Prague, Czech Republic in 2010
